


To Be Real

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-11-15
Updated: 2006-11-15
Packaged: 2019-02-02 13:23:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 30,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12727395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: Daniel is driven to solve the mystery of the Phaistos disc and he finds he needs Jack even more than he expected.





	To Be Real

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

  
Author's notes: This story begins right after the end of the previous story. I hope my explanation lives up to the expectations of those who wanted the loose ends tied!  
  
Thanks to Gateroller, my friendly Beta, who knows what a help she is to me!  


* * *

It felt too good to be real, except that it was all wonderfully sincere. Daniel’s touch created the wonderful sensations coursing through him; no one else had ever affected him the way Daniel did. The man made love with everything he was and it was irresistible, but as far as Jack was concerned he could spend his life being overwhelmed by Daniel Jackson. 

Daniel’s hands were still skimming over his skin even as he moved slowly inside Jack’s willing body. This was only the second time that Daniel had penetrated Jack, but like everything else the archaeologist undertook, he did it with consummate skill and care. Jack had never felt so desired, so cared for; it was humbling. It was also totally exhilarating and Jack had to reach out for his lover, needing that one last vital connection. Pulling Daniel closer, Jack strove to kiss those inviting lips, inadvertently driving Daniel deeper inside him. Jack gasped at the enhanced feeling and Daniel plunged his tongue deep inside his partner’s mouth mimicking the movement of his cock thrusting inside Jack until, with a deep groan, Daniel climaxed inside him, the overpowering feeling all it took for Jack’s seed to spill between their slick bodies.

Jack felt like his bones had melted and rolling over to kiss his lover, Daniel was already moving, getting out of bed.

“Daniel?”

“Be right back,” he replied softly, and as ever he was true to his word as he returned carrying a couple of towels. He used a damp one to clean both of them and then dried them off with the other.

“Could’ve waited,” Jack murmured.

“We’ll sleep better this way,” Daniel replied getting back into bed.

“Already be asleep if someone hadn’t demanded to play one last time,” Jack squirmed, trying to get comfortable.

“Didn’t hear you complaining.”

“No, sir!” Jack agreed, pulling Daniel in closer and settling down to sleep.

~~

Jack awoke as the alarm went off on the nightstand. Throwing out his arm he quickly turned it off even as he felt Daniel stir beside him. He couldn’t make out Daniel’s mumbled words though it wasn’t really necessary for he knew exactly what his lover meant. It was too early and he wanted to stay under the covers and go back to sleep.

Leaning over, Jack kissed Daniel just behind the ear, a particularly sensitive spot for the archaeologist. “Come on, sleepyhead, you can’t stay in bed today, our five days are up and we gotta go to work.” Daniel rolled over towards him, wrapping his arms around him and seeking out his mouth. Happily, Jack obliged, breaking the kiss with a sigh, “Love to take you up on this but we don’t have time. A certain person kept me up – oh boy was I kept up,” he grinned, “very late last night, or rather early this morning.” He felt Daniel’s smile against his skin and gruffly said, “I love you,” kissed him quickly and added, “Now come on. You shower while I go and start coffee.” Jack would take his shower after Daniel, it wouldn’t do to get his first or Daniel would just roll over and go back to sleep again.

“Okay, okay,” Daniel sighed. They had just spent a wonderful five days alone together and though he enjoyed his job, this was one day he would so much rather stay at home. He also wished that Jack could’ve joined him in the shower. He smiled when he thought of yesterday morning, but shook his head ruefully knowing that would have to wait until the next time they had some downtime.

Downstairs in the kitchen the coffee was dripping into the now almost full jug and Jack was wondering what was keeping Daniel. He turned towards the stairs to go to see what the delay was only to see his lover approaching. Jack was surprised to see he was frowning. “Daniel?”

Daniel looked up, an eyebrow raised at the question but immediately he understood Jack’s meaning. “I need to go back to P7X.”

“What? Why?” Jack queried.

“I never did complete my research.”

“Daniel! You can’t be serious, after all we went through to get home.”

“To get home from that damned slave planet, yes, but the folk on P7X were never anything but friendly. It was all my fault,”

“No it was not!” Jack interrupted vehemently.

“Okay, it was an accident caused by my error that took us through to that damned planet. I know now not to touch at all,” Daniel emphasised before Jack could interject again, “but I need to have a good look all around the plinth and even at the ring to make sure I have a record of every glyph there. I need to compare that to the Phaistos disc and the other discs I have.”

Jack sighed, he should have expected this but he had been so happy in his new relationship with Daniel that once they’d got home he let everything else go. Shrugging, Jack said, “Okay, so ask Hammond but be prepared for a refusal.”

Daniel frowned, “Why? He agreed readily enough last time and nothing has really changed.”

“Nothing has changed?” Jack sounded exasperated. “Daniel, when he agreed before we had no idea there even was a second gate, let alone how dangerous it would prove to be.”

Daniel looked as if he was going to argue, instead he just shrugged. “Better go get your shower, I’ll fix us some eggs.”

Jack stared at him but decided to let sleeping dogs lie, nodded and headed for the stairs.

~~

Daniel left Hammond’s office looking perplexed. Jack had been right that it wouldn’t be as simple this time to convince the general to let him go back. Hammond had been adamant that SG1 had a backlog of missions and now that he and Jack were back on the team and their schedule had been reorganised, there was no way it was possible to slot in a trip to P7X for the foreseeable future. Daniel had pressed the importance of the research into the coins, but Hammond had simply reminded him that the original mission had been a fishing trip at best. All Hammond would agree to, was that he would send another team when feasible to take detailed video footage of the plinth and the glyphs on the second gate and Daniel would have to settle for that.

“I guess he said no,” a familiar voice said from behind as he walked away from the general’s office.

Daniel sighed and waited for Jack to catch up to him. “Not exactly, just not yet and not SG1.”

“Ah,” Jack said with a knowing look. “But you will get your images?”

“Sometime,” Daniel shrugged.

“It’ll come and…”

“Don’t, Jack, don’t try and say something comforting, not about this.”

“And why not?” Jack frowned.

“I still feel responsible,” he added quickly as Jack made to speak, “I know how you feel but please acknowledge the way I feel.”

“’Kay,” Jack sighed softly. Quickly changing the subject, he said, “I was looking at the report SG6 wrote on,”

Daniel interrupted with an exaggerated raised eyebrow, “You read a report?”

“Smart ass!” Jack grinned and draping an arm across his friend’s shoulders continued to expound on the findings of SG6.

~~

It was almost a month before SG11 went back to P7X 996 and brought back the video footage that Daniel wanted. He was relieved that the general had at least given the mission to a competent archaeological team knowing they would produce the kind of images Daniel needed. After studying all the photos of both the plinth and gate in detail and making a clear record of all the different glyphs, Daniel discovered he now possessed some glyphs that were not present on the larger clay disc on Earth, nor on either of the two smaller metallic versions he had picked up on P7X.

However, General Hammond also made it clear that Daniel’s studies into the discs were not considered a priority when he already had other projects outstanding, and of course other translations that would possibly come in from ongoing missions. Daniel understood such an order but couldn’t help his disappointment because he rarely had time for the less urgent translations that passed across his desk. There was so much urgent, or at least necessary work that needed doing every single day. He would have to work on the Phaistos mystery mostly in his own time, which wouldn’t please Jack. Before he and Jack had become partners, Daniel would have used his time at home to work on whatever took his fancy at that particular moment. However, not surprisingly Jack now expected that Daniel spent any free time with him, literally. Jack was of the firm opinion that when one left work, one left work and didn’t bring it along. Daniel explained, repeatedly, that he enjoyed doing the work; in fact he didn’t think of it as work at all, it was a hobby, it was fun. 

Later that day at Jack’s place, Jack snorted as he slumped into his favourite chair, “Fun! Hockey is fun. Watching cartoons is fun. A hobby is making airplane models, or throwing pots. I’ll even give you reading and listening to music, but not translating obscure languages that you bring home from work!”

“Dammit, Jack, you can’t completely take over my life!” 

That declaration brought Jack up short his mouth dropping open in shock. “I never…I don’t do that, do I? I do, don’t I?” He took a deep breath, and said, “I just want to spend my time with you, Daniel. Is that really too much to expect?”

Daniel sighed and moved closer to his lover, “No, Jack. I want to spend time with you too, but you have to understand. What you consider my work means more to me than what I do behind my desk, it’s a big part of my life. I love it, Jack; I need it. And don’t look like that,” he smiled at Jack’s blatantly false puppy dog face. “I love you more, okay?”

“Okay, you can do what you want while I watch some TV,” Jack grinned, “but when I want to go upstairs, you’ll come? I can make sure you do,” Jack winked. 

“Come? Upstairs? When it’s time to sleep you mean?” Daniel grinned back.

“Bed, Daniel, bed is upstairs, who mentioned sleep?” Jack almost burst out laughing, Daniel at his most distracted was not that obtuse.

~~

When Daniel had exhausted all his references to the Phaistos disc, and his research on the two discs found off-world had ground to a halt, he still refused to give up. He questioned all his staff to ensure that no one had any information at all that they had forgotten to pass on to him but he was assured that hadn’t happened, everyone was very aware of his interest in anything at all to do with discs, the Phaistos markings or any mention of worlds with two gates. It wasn’t that he really believed anything had gotten past him; it was just that he was frustrated with his total lack of progress.

As he was waiting for the elevator, Cameron Balinsky, the young red-headed archaeologist of SG13 passed by in the company of his C.O., Colonel Dave Dixon. Cameron was complaining to Dixon about the continuing interference of Kinsey in the programme. 

The colonel nodded casually at Daniel as he walked by and then he gave one of his customary wry grins as he commented to Balinsky, “Shame it wasn’t really Jack who tried to shoot him last year, he never would’ve missed.”

The comment provoked an odd reaction in Daniel and he stood there, staring into space long enough for the elevator to arrive, open its door to disgorge its passengers and then move off again. As if the movement broke Daniel out of whatever reverie he was in, and suddenly pressing for the elevator again, he cursed the fact that he had missed it in the first place. He paced until it finally arrived and when he got out on level eighteen he hurried to his lab. Sitting at his desk the archaeologist immediately fired up his computer, thinking back again over Dixon’s casual comment about the incident when Jack had been arrested for shooting Senator Kinsey. 

He didn’t know why it hadn’t occurred to him before. He had, of course, checked the reports from the missions that had taken place last year when he had been away – Jack’s euphemism for his ascension, his lover never liked to speak of his time as a higher being. But reading the summary of a mission report was a far cry from reading the detailed commentary of each member of a team, and there was no way of knowing what Daniel might have missed. It was a lot to go through but it was the only way to ensure he covered every possibility.

~~

Staring at the computer screen yet again, the images were beginning to blur. Daniel had been working far too long and if Jack knew he’d tear him a new one. He had far too much work to do for the SGC and doing research for the Phaistos mystery had slipped even farther down the list three months after they had returned from that abortive trip through the gate. In his own bitter thoughts, he still believed that he’d failed dismally on their mission to P7X 996, though no one else seemed to look at things in that light, especially not Jack. But then Jack had no idea of the unanswerable question consistently running around inside Daniel’s head. It wasn’t a subject he could discuss with Jack, least of all Jack, and yet he was the only other person who knew the situation. It had been decided between them that it wasn’t necessary to disclose everything that had happened on the slave planet. Beside the obvious subject of their relationship, Daniel hadn’t wanted it on record that he’d been forced to serve in the House of Women in a bid to produce a child. 

But now he found it impossible to share his lingering fear with the only person he could. How could he tell Jack that he was afraid he might have left a pregnant woman carrying his child behind on another world? Of course, Jack was well aware what he had been forced to do for those twenty five nights and Daniel had even told him that he hoped he hadn’t made Tiatha pregnant, even doubted it seeing as he had been summarily sent back as the ‘master’ had been disappointed with his performance. But the seed of doubt had taken root and he couldn’t escape the fear that a child of his could be born into slavery on an unknown world. Sometimes he could bury the fear deep, other times he felt the need to unburden himself, but Jack was the only person who knew and he didn’t feel he could possibly put that on a man who had lost his only child.

Unfortunately, they didn’t even have the slightest idea where the slave planet was in the galaxy as it had only been discovered by Daniel’s error in brushing his hand against the plinth, not realising until much later that it had in fact been a version of the DHD. The only sure way to reach it was to repeat their accident and go through the northern standing ring on P7X and that was just too much of a risk unless Hammond was prepared to send a large force, which without a justifiable cause wouldn’t happen. It had been hard enough to get Hammond to send SG11 back to P7X as it was. The situation hadn’t been helped by the fact that the inhabitants of P7X had no real information on the discs or the second gate beyond the belief that the ‘old ones’ had put the northern standing ring there in ancient times. They’d learned little of the slave planet they found themselves on; they never even heard the name of the planet and knew little of the people who inhabited it and it frustrated Daniel that his only reference to it was the ‘slave’ planet. All they really knew about it was that the gate there was identical to the second gate on P7X, complete with the same markings as those found on the discs. But after the limited research Daniel had been able to do in the Women’s House, all he had learned was the address back to where they had come from. They had been very grateful for that and Daniel’s interest in the discs had taken second place to their escape and then Jack’s injury received in the run for the gate. 

Daniel’s memories of their time on the slave planet inevitably led to the only pleasant aspect of their imprisonment, when Jack had finally given in to his feelings and they had become lovers. Just before they’d left on that solitary mission all those months ago, Jack had admitted that he shared Daniel’s feelings but refused to act on it. Daniel had been heartbroken but accepted the decision and they had managed to stay friends, much to the relief of both men. However, during their enforced servitude in close quarters the barriers had slowly fallen until Jack could no longer hide behind his self-created walls. By the time they returned home they were a committed couple, Jack accepting that their relationship wouldn’t interfere with their ability to work together. They both knew how important – and hard – it would be to keep their relationship secret but both men were determined to lose neither each other nor their place at the SGC.

Thoughts of the SGC brought Daniel back to the here and now. He glanced at the clock and sighed when he realised it after nine. Jack would be pissed; Daniel had told him he would be working late but he had promised to leave at eight at the latest. It was surprising that Jack hadn’t called to see if he was still there, telling him to get his ass home. 

As if the thought had been master to the deed, the phone rang. With a sigh, Daniel picked up to hear just one word, spoken very deliberately, “Daniel?”

“Yes, Jack, I know, I’m late. I’m leaving now.” He knew he sounded depressed and that Jack would pick up on it even though he wouldn’t say anything until he got home. Maybe not even then, Jack would happily brush problems aside if he could distract Daniel. With a half smile, Daniel admitted he could easily be distracted by a certain sexy colonel and just then a distraction was most welcome.

~~

Jack tried to settle comfortably in the chair as he waited. He reached for his beer and drained the bottle but it didn’t help him relax. He didn’t like Daniel working so hard on the discs; it was almost as if he was punishing himself for his supposed failure on the disastrous mission, though of course only Daniel saw it as a failure. The archaeologist admitted he’d gained no further insight in the meaning of the discs or their as yet indecipherable markings, though he had come to the possible conclusion they were in fact gate addresses for the second standing ring. 

Getting up from his seat, Jack made his way to the kitchen for another beer but even as he took it from the refrigerator he knew he didn’t really want it. With a sigh he shoved it back inside and put on the coffee maker instead. Daniel would be home before too long now and he would share a coffee with him before they went to bed. Jack wondered if there would be any point trying to talk to him; it wouldn’t be the first time he’d attempted to make Daniel slow down, take it easy but the only response seemed to be that he enjoyed his work and that he felt the Phaistos discs were important. 

Jack was also concerned that there was something else worrying him, something that Daniel chose not to talk about. The problem was that Jack wasn’t sure that it wasn’t his own demons that were troubling him and not a new one plaguing Daniel. Ever since he acknowledged the possibility that Daniel might have made that woman pregnant Jack hadn’t been able to get rid of the idea that somewhere in the universe Daniel’s child could exist. While this possible baby may have been created by the cruel whim of an unscrupulous man, the child bore no blame and didn’t deserve the awful fate that awaited slave-born children on that world. God forbid if it was a female, for Daniel had learned that most girls were unwanted and killed at birth.

Daniel had never even mentioned the possibility of an unborn child since they had agreed not to mention the archaeologist’s real purpose in his forced sojourn in the Women’s House. Jack was unsure if this was because his lover had managed to bury the subject in his subconscious, or if he was afraid to think about it, let alone talk about it. Jack’s own feelings on the matter were anything but buried. As the months passed the possibility grew greater in his mind and now he wished he knew whether or not the woman was pregnant. Or rather, he wished he knew she was not. The terrible thing was that they would most likely never know. He sometimes wanted to discuss it with the only other person who knew, but he wouldn’t put his fears on Daniel, he had no right. It would be up to his lover if he ever wished to broach the subject.

Glancing at the clock again, Jack saw it was almost ten and knew Daniel would soon be home. It wouldn’t do for Daniel to discover him in such an introspective mood, he would immediately begin to ask questions and in a battle of words with a determined Daniel, Jack wouldn’t stand a chance.

Jack was moving towards the kitchen when he heard a key in the lock, and almost immediately Daniel called out, “Jack?”

“Just making coffee, Daniel. Make yourself comfortable, I’ll be there shortly.” The few minutes it would take to make the coffee would give Jack time to get a grip.

Carrying in a tray with a jug of coffee and two cups, Jack found Daniel sitting on the sofa with his feet up on the coffee table. He looked both tired and thoughtful.

“You okay?” Jack asked gently.

Glancing at him, Daniel shrugged as he admitted, “Just tired.”

“Not surprised, you’re working too hard.”

Daniel sighed but to Jack’s surprise he didn’t deny it. “I know, Jack, but…“

“No buts, Daniel,” Jack pressed while he had the advantage. “You can’t go on like this or you’ll burn out. I’m surprised Hammond hasn’t already spoken to you about the long hours you’re putting in.” When Daniel immediately dipped his eyes, Jack was instantly suspicious. “Daniel?” he asked in a no-nonsense voice.

Looking up, Daniel sighed and admitted, “Janet threatened to talk to the general if I don’t cut down my hours.”

Jack didn’t say what he was thinking, that Doc Fraiser had beaten him to the punch, because he couldn’t have let Daniel carry on burning the candle at both ends.

“But, Jack, I think I might have found something.” Daniel removed his feet from the table and moved to the edge of his seat, his attention all on Jack.

“Really? That so?” Jack queried and Daniel recognised the doubt in the tone of his voice. He probably thought the timing was very convenient.

Giving a rueful smile, Daniel said, “Yeah, Jack, really. I came across a reference a few days ago in one of the reports from SG-8. Their geologist had found a portion of tablet with three kinds of writing on it. One was Ancient; the other two were unidentified. When it was checked on return to the SGC the Ancient writings were said to be an archaic form and no one could translate it. The other languages have never been seen before. It ended up in storage and…”

“And you went and dug it out and?” Jack interrupted trying to get Daniel to get to the point.

Daniel sighed but he was used to Jack’s impatience. “And I have translated part of the Ancient writings, it is an archaic form but …”

“Daniel, is there a point anywhere in this?” 

“Well I don’t really know yet,” Daniel admitted and at Jack’s raised eyebrows he went on quickly, “I haven’t got it all yet, in fact it’s not complete, as I said it’s only a portion, but it refers to a group of Ancients who flaunted some rule or other and were punished for their misdeed.”

“What has any of this to do with the Phaistos disc?” Jack frowned.

Shrugging sheepishly, Daniel admitted, “Not sure that it does but …”

“Fercryin’ out loud, Daniel!”

“No wait, Jack. There is one phrase that…well it translates as ‘standing ring’.”

“What? The same as on P7X?”

“I know, it’s hardly conclusive but we’ve never come across the gate referred to that way before.”

“No, but that’s not what the Ancients called it either. Don’t they call the Stargate Astria Porta?”

Daniel stared at Jack a moment and then he suddenly smiled, “Yes, Jack and you pronounced it perfectly too.”

Snorted at the fake condescension, Jack took a gulp of his coffee only to pull a face because it was lukewarm now. “Okay, so you think this tablet might contain more useful information?”

Daniel shrugged. “Can’t be certain yet. I just wish I knew what the other languages are, never seen anything quite like them.”

“Okay, Daniel but no more work tonight, right?”

Smiling, Daniel agreed, “On one condition.”

“Hmm. Okay what?”

“I need a shower, a loooong, very hot shower.” Daniel rose and moved closer to Jack. “Been so busy at work recently that I’ve not had time for a long leisurely shower so I think tonight might be the perfect time for one.” He casually slid his hand along Jack’s arm, “Don’t you think so, Jack?”

With a growl, Jack grabbed Daniel and pulled him in for a bruising kiss. Breaking apart but still holding his lover tightly, Jack leaned back a little to look into Daniel’s eyes. 

Blue eyes that were now almost black with passion stared back at him, a slow smile breaking out. “You didn’t answer my question, Jack?” Daniel murmured.

“Oh I did, you know I prefer action to talking,” Jack smiled.

“Ah, of course. Ready for more action, then?” he asked, his sultry tone lacing the words with rich innuendo and Jack took the outstretched hand and let Daniel lead him to the bathroom.

A few minutes later they were under the nicely warm water of the shower. Jack picked up a washcloth with the shower gel and gently began to wash Daniel’s back. They had found simple everyday things surprisingly erotic. Jack drew the soft cloth across the contours of his lover’s body, watching the water as it cascaded over his shoulders outlining his wonderful form. Jack’s eyes following the water avidly as it formed rivulets in the suds, sliding down his back and over his buttocks, some down his legs, others slithering their way into his cleft. 

Finding his voice with difficulty, Jack asked Daniel to turn round and he soaped his lover’s chest, paying particular attention to his nipples, circling them slowly until they formed into hard nubs. Daniel moaned softly and Jack looked up to see his eyes closed tightly and his head thrown back a little, the water plastering his hair to his head. Smiling at the picture he made, Jack returned his gaze to the archaeologist’s body. His cock was nicely full and bobbing as he rocked slightly against Jack’s movements while the older man washed his lover’s abdomen and hips, purposely leaving his cock alone. Carefully Jack dropped to his knees so he could wash Daniel’s long legs, marvelling at the well defined contours of his muscles, finally tapping his foot a couple of times to get him to raise it so Jack could wash it. Jack had discovered he loved Daniel’s long sinuous feet.

“Jack please, please,” Daniel murmured. His cock was hard now, standing out from his body, the head purple with a pearl of semen at its tip. Dropping the cloth, Jack ran his hands up Daniel’s legs, loving the feel of his velvety skin, until he cupped his buttocks. Then, holding him firmly, Jack licked the come from Daniel’s cock making him shudder. Smiling, Jack kissed the head before licking along its length and then taking it into his mouth, inch by inch. Suddenly Jack felt Daniel’s hands in his hair, fingers sliding through the strands along with the rivulets of water, still muttering in time with his movements. Pleasure flooding through him, Jack swallowed Daniel whole.

As Daniel gasped and bucked, Jack had to hold him still, his hands sliding along his lover’s wet skin to his waist as he licked and sucked and nipped at the tender flesh. Daniel’s hips moved gently and Jack returned one hand to his buttocks ghosting over the cleft searching for his opening. 

Moaning almost continually now, Daniel repeatedly muttered Jack’s name, or used words Jack didn’t recognise but guessed were sexually explicit phrases or curse words in a variety of the languages he knew. Daniel’s hands were still in Jack’s wet hair, holding his head in place as his mouth worked Daniel’s cock. Jack’s finger was circling Daniel’s hole and his muttering had stopped completely, all that could be heard were his soft moans. 

Sensing that Daniel was nearing climax, Jack pulled back, nibbling at the tip of his penis as he released him. Gulping a quick breath, Jack took him back inside his mouth as far as he could, sucking deeply while at the same time inserting a finger inside Daniel’s body. Ass clenching, back arching, and with a howl Daniel shot down Jack’s throat. Jack swallowed and swallowed, not wanting to lose one drop, Jack wanted him inside by every way possible.

Finally releasing Daniel as he softened, Jack moved carefully as he was still supporting Daniel’s shaky body, his hands resting on Jack’s shoulders. Jack looked up to see Daniel’s eyes open again and he was looking down at the kneeling Jack, who smiled smugly. “All right?” Jack asked.

“Wonderful,” Daniel whispered. “I’m surprised I’m still on my feet.” Smiling, he asked, “You?”

Holding onto Daniel now and rising to his feet slowly, careful of his knees, Jack looked down at himself, a wry smile on his lips. “Think I could do with some help with this,” he indicated his heavy full cock.

Daniel smiled and said huskily, “Help yourself.” He turned to face the shower attachment, reaching to hold himself steady as he spread his legs.

“Oh my god,” Jack murmured as Daniel presented himself like a gift for the taking. He reached out to caress the taut buttocks. “Good thing I came well prepared,” he murmured.

“Stop preening and get on with it,” Daniel said desperately.

Revelling in his lover’s need, Jack reached for the small bottle, poured some on his fingers and stroked it over Daniel’s buttocks, feeling him relax into the movements. The archaeologist dropped his head between his arms and pushed himself towards his partner. Jack slipped one finger inside and stretched his opening, soon adding a second making sure he was well prepared.

“Come on, Jack, I’m dying here,” he muttered.

“Not gonna hurt you, Danny,” Jack said softly.

“It’s enough, get in there Jack, please.” 

“Okay, okay.” Jack slicked himself, carefully. He was so damned ready he was about to explode so he took a few deep breaths to get control. “Ready?”

“Willing and able,” Daniel said with a wiggle of his hips.

Positioning his cock against Daniel’s opening and licking his lips at the idea of what he was about to do, with a firm steady push Jack was inside Daniel’s tight ass. “Oh God, you feel so fucking wonderful.”

“Come on, don’t stop now!” Daniel said, breathing slowly. 

Feeling Daniel consciously relaxing his muscles, Jack pressed again and slid in until he heard a gasp but didn’t know which of them made the sound. Taking hold of Daniel’s shoulders, Jack pulled out again slowly and then pushed back in one smooth movement until he could feel his balls slapping his lover’s ass. 

Their relationship was still new enough that Jack was still overwhelmed to be inside the man who had become his whole world. He felt almost as if he was watching himself as his body joined with Daniel’s, losing himself in the man he loved, not knowing where he ended and his lover began. The vision in his mind’s eye slammed through Jack as he gasped at the erotic image until becoming aware of himself again, he thrust into Daniel’s body and he cried out.

“Fuck! Ohgodohgod, do that again!”

Grinning as he realised what he’d done, Jack angled hips trying to hit that magic spot again and judging from Daniel’s moans and his pushing back against him, Jack guessed he’d succeeded.

Finding the perfect rhythm, Jack was in heaven and it seemed Daniel was with him if his reactions were any indication. Each time making love with Daniel was wonderful, whether he was inside Daniel or Daniel was inside him it didn’t matter, it was so much more than his imagination had ever managed to portray. This was real, so very real and each time was perfect.

~~

A few days later Jack wandered into Daniel’s lab, it seemed the only way he could get to see the linguist; he was so wrapped up in trying to translate the partial tablet that he had little time for anything else. As expected Daniel’s desk was littered with papers and open books and he was scribbling in one of his ever-present notebooks.

“Daniel?”

“Hmm, busy, Jack,” he commented without even looking up.

Sighing, Jack said, “Yeah. Got anything new?”

Daniel just waved a hand at his desk, which Jack took to mean he was hard at it and that Jack should leave him to it. Jack ignored that silent suggestion and frustrated that Daniel wouldn’t look at him never mind talk to him, he strode over and picked up the tablet from its place directly in front of Daniel.

“Jack!” Suddenly Daniel’s exclamation at having the item moved paled into insignificance as a distinctive glow came from its surface. 

Jack almost dropped it in shock but managed to keep enough wits about him to place it back carefully from where he took it. Immediately the glow disappeared. The two men stared at each other for a long moment; Daniel dropped his gaze from Jack’s eyes to the artefact for a moment, and then back. 

“It didn’t hurt, did it?” Daniel asked thoughtfully.

The older man’s glance was now on the object. “No, but it didn’t do that when you touched it,” Jack said accusingly.

“Well no,” Daniel agreed and he had been handling the thing for days. He stared at the artefact and then at Jack. “Pick it up again,” he said firmly.

“Err, no,” Jack said just as firmly.

“I need to confirm something.” Daniel looked at Jack’s stubborn face. “Just for a few seconds, come on, Jack.”

With a distinctly unhappy glare, Jack hesitantly picked up the broken slab and again it glowed. This time Daniel stared over his shoulder, mumbling though Jack clearly heard, ‘I knew it’. “What did you know?” Jack queried gruffly.

“I’ll get back to that,” he replied swiftly, really not wanting to explain his thinking just yet. “Look, it’s not the whole tablet, just certain markings. Just keep a hold of it while I quickly sketch which ones.”

“Daniel,” Jack whined, not that he would admit that he was whining. He considered he was being very reasonable in the circumstances.

“It’s important, Jack. Trust me.”

Well that stopped him cold. If there was one person that Jack trusted implicitly it was Daniel Jackson. “Okay,” he said softly and Daniel paused in his sketching for just a second before, with a gentle smile gracing his lips, he continued his rapid strokes with a pencil.

“That’s odd,” he suddenly commented. “Do you feel anything at all, Jack? Energy, heat, vibration, anything?”

“Nope, not a thing. What’s odd? Besides the fact that I’m standing here holding a glowing rock,” griped Jack.

“Okay I’ve finished,” Daniel added after a few seconds. “What was odd was that in most cases only portions of the Ancient glyphs glowed, not the complete carving. I marked those sections, there must be a reason for that effect.”

“The whole thing’s weird,” Jack claimed as he faked a shudder.

“You were rather pleased when Thor told you about your enhanced genetics,” Daniel said absently and almost immediately wished he hadn’t spoken so thoughtlessly.

“Thor? You – that’s what you meant when you said ‘I knew it’, you think this is something to do with that gene thing?”

“I wish you hadn’t heard that, I don’t know anything, it was just a guess. I could be wrong.” 

Raising an eyebrow, Jack commented, “Not often that happens.” Jack glanced at the drawings of the glyphs in Daniel’s hands. “Does that mean anything? I assume those particular glyphs must be…highlighted,” he shrugged, “for a reason.”

Daniel looked up at Jack and guilt swept through him at his insistence that his partner continued to hold the thing. “Are you sure you’re okay, I mean you didn’t feel anything at all when the thing glowed. Perhaps we should go and see Janet?”

Jack so wanted to take Daniel in his arms at that moment but he couldn’t, all he could do was smile and let his eyes speak his feelings. After a moment, he said, “I don’t need the infirmary, I’m fine.” He flinched slightly at using Daniel’s catchphrase. “I’d like to know why that happened but not at the expense of undergoing one of the doc’s examinations unless it’s under orders.”

The telephone rang on Daniel’s desk and he quickly picked it up. After listening for a moment, he confirmed that Colonel O’Neill was indeed with him. After another moment he replaced the handset. “The general wants to see you in his office.” 

Nodding Jack headed for the door, turning back at the last moment. “Do you want me to tell him that you might have found something?”

“Not yet. First off, I don’t really know that I have, not yet. Secondly,” Daniel smiled mischievously, “if you do he might have you report to the infirmary.”

Jack grimaced and promptly left.

~~

It was late when Daniel arrived home that evening. In fact, Jack even wondered if he would come home or work straight through again. Jack had managed to curtail the number of nights Daniel stayed at the mountain but with something as special as today’s happening the archaeologist would likely lose track of time. So, when Daniel returned home around nine, Jack was pleasantly surprised but he judiciously decided not to refer to the fact. 

“Have you eaten? I could send for take-out if you haven’t.”

“So you can get a second dinner?” Daniel smiled. “Actually, Teal’c brought me a sandwich around seven, your influence I do believe.” Jack simply smiled and shrugged. Daniel leaned over the back of Jack’s chair and kissed his lover. “Would you make coffee while I take a quick shower and get changed, I want to show you something. And, do you have any of those chocolate pastries?”

“Show me what?” Jack asked as he walked to the kitchen but Daniel didn’t answer, just smiled at Jack over his shoulder.

Within a few minutes Daniel was coming back downstairs and Jack’s libido reacted immediately to the sight and scent of his freshly washed lover, his damp hair unruly from where he had just quickly towelled it dry. He was wearing a pair of soft grey sweat pants, sitting low on his hips, teamed with a dark grey tee that had seen better days. On Daniel the outfit just looked outrageously sexy. Jack doubted he would be able to concentrate on what Daniel was going to tell him looking like that.

“Oh, good,” Daniel said, picking up one of his favourite chocolate pastries in one hand and his coffee in the other he sat on the sofa, raising an eyebrow when Jack moved back to his armchair. Then he caught the way Jack was eyeing him and immediately he understood. Perhaps he should’ve told him before he got changed he thought wryly. Then he smiled at the thought that it would save time later.

“Any time you’re ready, Daniel,” Jack prompted.

Quickly finishing his pastry and taking a gulp of his coffee, Daniel began. “I’ve been studying the glyphs that were…highlighted earlier. There were ten glyphs highlighted, only two of which were complete Ancient glyphs, the other eight were only partial glyphs. I studied the partial ones for hours trying to see a pattern, trying to discern why only sections were displayed like that. Finally I realised.”

Jack was sitting forward by now, knowing that whatever it was, it was important.

“Those markings are remarkably similar to those on the Phaistos discs.”

“What?” Jack’s eyes widened.

“I know, I don’t understand it either, but they are. A couple are complete in themselves. The other six are sections of a Phaistos glyph and when joined formed three glyphs.”

“Let me get this right,” Jack said slowly, rubbing a hand across his forehead. “On an Ancient tablet you found a total of five Phaistos glyphs and two Ancient glyphs that glowed when I touched it.” Daniel nodded, his eyes dancing with excitement. “And you think I could do this because of some advanced gene the Asgard say I have?”

“Yes.”

“What did the Ancient glyphs say?”

“There is too much missing for it to make sense from just two glyphs. The first one translates as ‘beware’ or ‘be cautious’ and the second one is most likely ‘keep to the safe route’.” Daniel smiled sheepishly, “Or it could have said, ‘walk this way’.”

Jack burst out laughing and to Daniel’s pleasure he got up and moved over to the sofa, pulling Daniel to him. “I know the Phaistos isn’t a language, so those glyphs are part of another gate address, yes?”

“Well it’s an assumption but, yes.”

“But we still have no idea why the thing lit up,” Jack sighed. He didn’t like unsolved mysteries.

“Not yet,” Daniel said, twisting round to look at Jack. “I do have an idea, it might help, if we can do it.”

“If we can do it? Do what?”

“Get the Phaistos disc into your hands.”

~~

The hastily arranged meeting in the general’s office early the next morning proved both intriguing and difficult for Hammond. The possibility that the Phaistos disc had some link – albeit tenuous at this point – to the Ancients certainly lent more urgency to Doctor Jackson’s quest, but the course of action currently tabled was more than the general could possibly agree to. On top of that, Hammond was irritated that his second in command hadn’t thought it necessary to inform him of the unusual physical reaction that occurred when Jack had touched the Ancient slab. While it was true the colonel showed no sign of any physical reaction from his experience, the general would definitely have ordered him to the infirmary. He had in fact already ordered O’Neill to report there following this meeting and luckily for the colonel he had wisely not chosen to question the command.

The general looked from one man to the other as they continued to bicker over what action to take next. While Hammond appreciated that the two men had become even closer friends since their enforced incarceration as slaves, he wasn’t sure he liked this almost secretive attitude they seemed to have developed. It almost seemed as if SG1 was comprised of a team of two pairs and Hammond was determined to ensure they properly reintegrated.

Hammond’s thoughts were brought back to the colonel’s solution to their problem on hearing Daniel state again, “Jack, you can’t just steal the thing!” O’Neill’s idea to get his hands on the Phaistos disc in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum in Crete was direct to say the least. Yet it wasn’t that much more off the wall than Daniel’s suggestion to officially request the artefact from the Greek government by explaining how important it was to the defence of the planet. The general had told Doctor Jackson that the President would never agree to such a disclosure at this juncture.

“I don’t intend to steal it, Daniel,” the colonel was explaining. “Okay, I know I said we should just go and take it but you didn’t give me time to explain. I want to ask Thor if he can beam it out just for a few minutes while I hold it and see what happens. We can be ready and if it does glow or something, you can video it so you have a record. Then he can return it. No harm, no foul.” O’Neill flashed a smug smile at his friend.

Doctor Jackson sighed and looked at the general before replying, “And you don’t think that the museum will have safeguards to protect such a valuable artefact, things like alarms, the most up-to-date security procedures and guards patrolling twenty-four-seven. Jack, it will be missed immediately, there is no way you can just borrow the disc.”

Both men stared at the other, neither willing to back down and shaking his head Hammond intervened, “Gentleman, I suggest we should attempt to contact Thor, first of all to see if he responds. If he does so and is willing to help, perhaps he can suggest a method that is feasible. Also it would be the perfect opportunity to obtain further information on exactly how Colonel’s O’Neill’s genes are different from the rest of us.” The general’s tone suggested he didn’t necessarily believe any difference was an improvement.

~~

Hammond had called a meeting in the briefing room for the other members of SG1 and Daniel had briefed them on his findings about the Ancient tablet while Jack attempted to contact the Asgard, Thor. 

After listening to Daniel’s explanation of what had happened when Jack touched it, Carter’s immediate request was that she take the tablet and perform further tests, specifically wanting to investigate the energy readings which definitely had not registered during her previous testing. Daniel’s assertion that it appeared to be made of simple clay was met by a disbelieving look by his team-mate. 

Even Teal’c raised his ubiquitous eyebrow suggesting he shared her doubts but he went on to ask, “Do you have any explanation as to why this occurred only when O’Neill held the tablet?”

Hammond stepped in before Daniel had chance to answer. “Colonel O’Neill is presently trying to contact the Asgard as Doctor Jackson has suggested, it is possibly due to the colonel’s supposed advanced gene.”

Teal’c cocked his head on one side. “Your statement suggests you doubt the veracity of this hypothesis.”

Hammond was saved from having to answer as Jack entered the briefing room just then, nodded to the general and then moved to his usual seat beside Daniel.

“Well, it’s all arranged, sir. Thor was intrigued by what I told him about glowing Ancient glyphs and Daniel’s thinking that it had something to do with the gene. The little grey guy was fascinated by what was happening but tried to deny at first that the gene could have any connection but I told him if it wasn’t that then you would have to subject me to extensive medical procedures, maybe even some invasive ones to discover what is really going on.”

“I doubt that was well received,” Teal’c commented.

“Nope, he didn’t like the idea of the invasive bit,” Jack smiled darkly. “I also emphasised the point about the link with the mysterious Phaistos disc. Like I said, he was intrigued.”

“So, he’s coming?” the general queried.

“Yep, be here real soon I think.” Jack sat back, well pleased with himself and Daniel couldn’t help the quick kick to Jack’s ankle under the table at his smugness.

“Meanwhile, Major Carter can take the Ancient’s tablet to her lab and see if there is anything new she can discover.”

“Just be careful with it, Sam, I still have a lot to learn from it,” Daniel said quickly. Sam just gave him a hard stare at the idea that she needed reminding to be vigilant, easing her expression with a gentle smile, which Daniel returned with a small shrug.

However, Sam was thwarted in her desire to get her hands on the alien artefact as Thor chose that moment to beam into the briefing room.

“Thor, ole buddy!” Jack declared on seeing the small alien appear in a flash of light. He was sitting in the chair at the opposite end of the table from the general. “I know you said you were in the vicinity but didn’t expect you this soon.”

Thor nodded at Jack but swiftly turned his attention to Hammond. “I trust I can put your mind at rest concerning O’Neill’s advanced genetic coding, General Hammond. There is no need for any invasive medical investigations.”

“Then can you explain why his touch activated certain of the markings on the clay tablet? Doctor Jackson has handled the object repeatedly, as have other members of the SGC over the last few weeks without any such reaction.”

“It has to be Jack’s gene, Thor, what else could it be?” Daniel queried.

Thor blinked slowly as he looked at each person sitting around the briefing table, his gaze lingering the longest on Daniel. “Your supposition is almost certainly correct, Doctor Jackson,” Thor agreed, “but I prefer not to go into detail beyond confirming that the genetic differences apparent in the colonel do have associations with that of the Ancients.”

“Are you trying not to quite confirm that Jack has an Ancient gene?” Daniel asked intently.

Thor cocked his large head to one side, and said calmly, “Yes, that is exactly what I was attempting not to confirm.”

“Think he gotcha there, Thor,” Jack said wryly. “Got me too. What exactly does this gene do that I don’t have?”

“It doesn’t do anything, O’Neill, it simply is. You possess a gene that was also carried by the race of Ancients,” the alien confirmed.

“You say it doesn’t do anything, Thor, yet it clearly has an effect.”

Thor blinked and slowly moved his head in Daniel’s direction but he gave no further explanation. Daniel frowned and licked his lips in frustration; Thor was obviously not prepared to explain any further.

Hammond cleared his throat, bringing the diminutive alien’s attention back to him. “We had hoped you could provide some information and assistance with our present situation. While I hoped to get answers concerning the colonel’s genetics, Doctor Jackson also wished for your input on his problem.”

“Yes, I found the message intriguing. May I view the research?”

Daniel glanced at Hammond who gave a brisk nod and then the archaeologist invited Thor to follow him to his lab. The rest of SG1 accompanied them, Sam and Teal’c not having seen the latest information, or Jack’s effect on the Ancient tablet.

~~

Some time later Jack was explaining to Thor his idea for getting the original Phaistos disc out of the museum. Sam had to smother a grin as Jack quickly added Daniel’s objections to that idea when the archaeologist glared at his friend.

His large eyes slowing moving from one man to the other as they told their story, Thor abruptly held up a hand. “I believe I can suggest a solution to your problem.”

“That’s my buddy!” Jack declared rubbing his hands together.

Daniel glanced at Jack and then asked Thor, “How?”

“I will extract the disc, beam it out as O’Neill suggested but to preserve the confidentiality of the SGC I will arrange to temporarily substitute the item so the museum authorities will be unaware of its disappearance.”

“Replace it how?” Sam queried.

“Create a replica. I am sure Doctor Jackson can provide me with enough detailed information to produce a copy that is undetectable from the original.”

“Like clone it, you mean?” Jack asked.

Turning to him, Thor cocked his head on one side, “That is a reasonable description.” 

Watching the byplay, Daniel was convinced that Thor’s little habit of cocking his head to one side like that was tantamount to a smile, especially as he employed the gesture more with Jack than with anyone else. Brushing aside his random thought, Daniel smiled, saying, “That is perfect, Thor. I can certainly give you lots of detailed information, dimensions, composition, markings, etc. What exactly do you need?”

Jack and the rest of SG1 left Daniel discussing the situation with Thor, knowing that they would be contacted when the diminutive alien had solved the problem.

~~

In fact, Jack received the call much sooner than he’d expected. Thor needed to return to his ship to create the copy and he wanted to take Jack and Daniel with him. Hammond was a little uncertain why the Asgard wanted the two men on board his ship but saw no reason to refuse the request. So, less than an hour later Jack and Daniel stood side by side looking out one of the huge windows in Thor’s vessel at the surface of the planet far below.

A little way behind them, the small alien was moving some of those small Asgard stones across a curved board, while off to his left Asgard runes were running up and down a large viewing screen. Daniel turned back to watch him work while Jack just watched his world turn lazily beneath the huge ship. He still found it fascinating that they could orbit his home world and no one down there had any idea that a small grey alien flew serenely in space above them.

“Doctor Jackson?” Thor said in his soft voice, and Daniel hurried across. Even as he moved he saw something shimmer in the air on a flat surface. He heard footsteps behind him and knew Jack was coming to look as well.

Daniel stared at the version of the Phaistos disc forming before his eyes, glancing up at Thor for a second before looking down to see a now completed clay disc lying on the surface.

“Is that it?” Jack asked, staring at the five-inch clay circle covered with the now familiar markings.

“Yes,” Daniel asked, his voice tinged with awe. “It is a perfect replica.” He hesitated and quickly reached out to turn the item over, smiling when he saw the markings repeated though in a different pattern on the reverse side. “Yes, a perfect replica.”

“Ya did good,” Jack grinned at Thor.

“I am glad you are satisfied. Now we will visit the museum.” Thor moved a different stone on the curved board and immediately the scene through the view screen shifted dizzily and then corrected, settling back into a view of the Earth lazily turning. Thor looked over at Daniel, “Can you show me where this museum is located on this island?” Even as he spoke a picture of the island of Crete was displayed on the computer screen, the view becoming larger as Thor zoned in.

“Err, yes. It is the Heraklion Archaeological Museum on Xanthoudidou Street.” Daniel moved closer as the city centre grew larger on the view-screen, the night-time view illuminated by the many lights of the city. “This area,” he suddenly pointed and Thor moved the stone a fraction and the streets became clear. Daniel studied it a minute longer and then pointed to a large building on a tree-lined street. 

“Which level?” Thor queried.

“Ground floor, Room Three with everything found in the Phaistos Palace.” Daniel glanced over at Thor. “The room is in a direct line from the front entrance…” Daniel stopped, surprised as the walls seem to disappear from view and they could see inside the museum. “Oh, right. That main corridor there,” he pointed to the screen, “the third room on the right.” The scene changed as they almost seemed to be moving along the corridor and then turning into Room Three.

Thor quickly scanned all the exhibits in the room, the view finally settling on the display of the Phaistos disc. Thor moved his stone swiftly over the curved board though to Jack and Daniel nothing seemed to be happening.

“What’cha doin’?” Jack asked after a few seconds.

“Ensuring I have precise measurements for when I retrieve the disc and send its replacement. It is a very delicate transference.”

“There is no risk of damage to the original disc?” Daniel asked nervously.

“Not if I am allowed to complete my calculations without further interruptions,” Thor declared huffily.

Daniel opened his mouth to apologise and quickly closed it again. Jack stuck his hands in his pockets, rocked on his heels and began to hum. “Jack!” Daniel muttered harshly. Rolling his eyes, Jack clamped his lips together.

Abruptly the fake disc disappeared from the surface of its holding dais in a flash of light only to be replaced a split second later. 

Daniel stepped forward and asked softly, “That’s the original?”

“Yes.” Thor shifted the view on the screen to a close-up of the Phaistos disc display in the museum and nothing appeared to have changed. “It worked perfectly,” he confirmed.

“We should really be wearing special gloves to touch this,” Daniel said but still his hand moved forward, itching to touch the four thousand year old clay disc. His fingers brushed the outer edge and Daniel could’ve sworn he felt the eons the simple slab of clay had witnessed.

“Should not O’Neill touch the disc? To discover if he has a similar effect on this?”

“Yes, of course.” Daniel confirmed excitedly. “Jack?”

Almost reluctantly Jack moved forward. He knew the whole point of swapping the thing was to see what happened when he touched it, if anything. Trouble was he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. However, one look at Daniel’s bright eyes and Jack sighed, stepped forward and touched the surface of the Phaistos disc.

Immediately the whole disc gave off a faint glow and Jack relinquished it with a quick glance at Thor whose large eyes were solidly on the disc.

“That answers that,” Daniel said staring at Jack.

“Yeah, kinda wished it hadn’t done that though,” Jack murmured turning to his lover.

Behind the two men, Thor continued to run scans on the disc.

“Don’t worry, Jack, you’re just the same old irascible colonel I know and love.”

The irascible colonel raised his eyebrows at Daniel’s verbal slip but the archaeologist shrugged, glancing at Thor out of the corner of his eye. He whispered, “He seems rather involved.”

“Indeed,” Thor interjected, his eyes never leaving his instruments, “However, your interpersonal relationships and choices for sexual coupling are fascinating, as are your cultural inconsistencies.”

“What?” Jack frowned.

“I think he’s referring to the differing reactions to sexual coupling between genders,” Daniel posited.

Thor quickly glanced at the two men but said nothing more, returning to his studies. After a moment he asked, “Doctor Jackson, how old did you say this artefact was?”

“We haven’t been able to date it precisely, but it is estimated to be between three-and-a-half and four thousand years old.”

Cocking his head to one side, his large eyes blinking, Thor stated, “Then your estimate is incorrect. This item is more than ten thousand years old.”

“Ten thousand!” Daniel was awestruck.

“That’s as old as the pyramids really are then,” Jack commented.

Still processing the age of the artefact, Daniel was in for another shock when Thor next announced that the disc was not made of simple clay. “What?” he croaked.

“The external surface is clay,” Thor explained, “but there is a central core formed from a metal that is not found on Earth.”

After a long moment of silence, Daniel stepped up to stare down at the disc declaring, “I knew it!”

Jack moved to stand beside his lover, recognising all too clearly the hold this mystery had on Daniel. “So it’s what? Ancient?” Jack queried.

Thor looked over at the colonel and in some indiscernible way the slow blink of his large eyes struck Jack for the first time as intimidating. “There is only one place I know of where such a metal can be found, an old Ancient world, long abandoned. This planet is on the outer edge of your galaxy.”

“Do you know why the Ancients abandoned this world? Or what this metal does?”

“The truth is I know little more than an old legend that says a group of Ancients rebelled against the authority of their people. And before you ask Doctor Jackson, the reason behind the rebellion has been lost, but it was serious enough that a civil war was threatened and, to stop this happening, the authorities stepped and in punished the insurgents.”

“Punished how?” Jack wanted to know.

Thor looked puzzled which wasn’t easy but the Asgard decided to check his database to see if he could discover exactly what the legend said. After scrolling through innumerable pages of text, Thor finally found what he was searching for. He turned, looking for his two human guests to find the men sitting side by side, leaning back against the wall talking quietly to each other as they waited.

“Found anything?” Jack asked when he saw Thor looking in their direction.

“Yes, a little, but I am not convinced it is of any assistance. The only other information I can find is cryptic, part of the sentence placed on the rebels, something about being banished beyond conviction.”

“That’s it?” Jack sounded disgusted.

“That hardly makes sense – beyond conviction?” Daniel frowned, getting to his feet and walking over to Thor. With a sigh Jack followed.

“I did say it was cryptic,” Thor commented.

Daniel looked from the alien to his lover and then finally at the clay disc. “There is a lot here that still needs investigating, needs following up.” He thought for a moment. “Thor, do you know if there is a Stargate on this distant world?”

“Whoa, Danny, before we can even think about anything else” Jack interjected, “we need to report to Hammond.”

“I know, but surely it shouldn’t be that difficult to get permission from the general to organise a mission. This could really be big, Jack.”

~~

Daniel proved to be correct. After a thorough briefing during which Thor did indeed supply a gate address for the Ancient world, though he did admit he had no knowledge if the address was still viable after all this time, Hammond approved the mission. Carter left the briefing to check if the address provided by Thor was in the Ancient database that Colonel O’Neill had downloaded some years previously. It was possible they had already attempted to dial this world with the cold dialling programme.

Watching Carter leave, Thor turned to the others. “I too need to depart. I would prefer to be able to stay and help solve this intriguing mystery linking this disc to the Ancients, but unfortunately my ship is needed elsewhere.” He produced a communication stone, which he passed to O’Neill. “I cannot say if I will be in a position to respond to any requests but you may make the attempt if it should prove necessary.”

“Thanks, Thor,” Jack smiled. “For everything.”

With a final nod Thor disappeared in a flash of light just as Major Carter turned the top step into the briefing room. Seeing her, Daniel queried, “Sam, any luck?”

“No.” She turned to the general. “The address isn’t on our database, sir.”

“Not even among those downloaded by O’Neill?” Teal’c asked.

“No.” Carter shrugged.

“Hmmm,” Jack mused. “Perhaps the address was wiped from the records after the trouble there.” The colonel hesitated a moment and then with a gleam in his eyes he turned towards Daniel, and grinning he intoned in a bad German accent, “Wiped clean by the wrath of God!” 

Daniel rolled his eyes and gave a small shake of the head at Jack’s increasing interest in the Indiana Jones movies; it was obvious he had seen Raiders of the Lost Ark way too many times. Ignoring his partner’s supposed humour, Daniel remarked, “No matter what the Ascended think, they are not gods!” 

“Especially not to others of their own race,” Teal’c added very seriously.

Daniel considered for a moment before adding, “Yes, I have to admit the history Thor told us about this Ancient world is intriguing and confusing.”

“Confusing?” Sam queried, “I can see why you would say intriguing, but why confusing.”

Daniel shrugged, “Because I find it hard to understand the behaviour of the people Thor described.”

“Why?” Jack questioned, “Because they acted liked the flawed human beings they were?”

Abruptly Daniel swung to look at Jack and slowly a smile graced his lips. “Yes, it is all too easy to forget they were just like us once.”

~~

A MALP was readied and on the general’s order sent through to the address of the Ancient world. SG1 stood in the control room with Hammond as Master Sergeant Harriman watched the computer readout for confirmation from the machine. It took a little longer than usual due the extreme distance of this world from Earth. 

“Receiving telemetry, sir,” Harriman suddenly announced and Carter slipped into the seat next to him.

Daniel was edging forward, staring up the screens overhead showing the view from the MALP camera and Jack put a hand on his shoulder, knowing how excited his lover was at the prospect of what they might find on that distant world. Daniel gave him a quick glance and an even more fleeting smile before returning his attention to the screen. “Look,” Daniel suddenly said, pointing to the screen. “That stele, see?” he indicated a two metre tall column tapering to a curved point, placed directly in line with the gate but set a short way behind the DHD. “The markings are clearly Ancient.”

“Hmmm,” Jack added, “It looks in remarkable condition too if it’s as old as Thor’s legend suggests.”

Turning to the general, Daniel stated, “We have to go, sir!”

General Hammond was still staring at the screen but at Daniel’s heartfelt words he turned to the civilian. “Yes, Doctor, I think perhaps you do.” Glancing over to the colonel, he continued, “Go get geared up, be ready to leave in an hour.”

“Yes, sir.” Almost before Jack finished speaking, Daniel was out of the door.

~~

An hour later the team stepped through the swirling blue energy to find themselves on a world so far from home that the figures made Jack go dizzy. Perhaps that explained his feeling of light-headedness when he arrived he pondered. Or maybe that was just Daniel. The good doctor had insisted on telling him at great length he was more than ever convinced now that the discs, the large Earth version and the smaller metallic ones, were very special and very specific. Jack’s comment that they couldn’t be that specific if the way they’d been dragged through that second gate was any indication, had just garnered him a glare from Daniel.

Watching his lover now, stalking off across the small clearing to study the stele didn’t exactly ease his nerves any either. “Easy there, Daniel!”

“Don’t worry,” Daniel said over his shoulder, not even bothering to look back at his C.O. “I’ll be careful and I won’t touch.”

“Sure,” Jack muttered under his breath, hurrying to catch him up. Daniel had this innate inability to read stuff carved into walls unless his fingers traced it simultaneously.

As he got closer, Jack was surprised to see that there were actually only a few markings on the stele. A couple at the top carved in a larger script that reminded Jack of nothing more than a headline in a newspaper, with a few lines below. The remainder of the stele was bare polished stone.

“Not much there. What’s it say?”

“Wow, Alterans,” Daniel murmured.

“What?”

Daniel turned with a slight sigh. “Little more than we already know. A warning basically: Beware Alterans, ignore not this example.”

“Alterans?” Sam queried from just behind Jack.

“That’s the really interesting part,” Daniel replied, excitement colouring his voice. “It’s clearly a name, either of the people of this planet or the name the Ancients called themselves.”

“An important discovery indeed, DanielJackson,” Teal’c commented. 

“You two make any discoveries, important or otherwise?” Jack queried.

“Yes, sir. Over that rise,” she pointed to the slight incline off to the left, “there is a vast plain and it is literally covered in ruins.”

“Ruins?” Daniel turned to glance in the direction she had indicated but from his vantage point he couldn’t see anything but trees, grass and the violet tinged sky.

“Indeed. The city does not appear to have been ruined by the passage of time however, I would venture the devastation was not due to natural causes.”

“A war?” Jack wondered.

“I fear it is most likely.”

“So they fought after all?” Sam queried.

“We shouldn’t jump to any conclusions merely based on the Asgard legend. We need evidence, proof.” Daniel sounded upset.

“They really were only human, Daniel,” Jack said gently.

Sighing, “I know, but I hoped,” Daniel shrugged and set off walking towards the slope. 

“You always expect too much of people, Daniel, and you’re always doomed to disappointment,” Jack said sadly.

“No, Jack, I’m not. I’ve met enough good people on my travels, and amongst my friends,” he added with a smile, “to make it worthwhile to hope.” A few minutes later he stopped on the summit looking at the city below and even knowing what to expect he was shocked by the utter devastation. 

Jack and the others came up alongside him and he heard Jack’s sharp intake of breath. “This is more than the result of a battle,” Jack said, “This was deliberate total destruction. There is not a single building left standing.”

“It was meant as a severe warning,” Teal’c retorted.

“From what Thor said this world was shunned by everyone, they were afraid of the legend and if word of this got out, I’m not surprised,” Sam commented as they began to move down towards the ruins. No one answered and nobody else spoke as they walked.

As they moved through the outer edge of the ruins, allowing Daniel to lead the way with Jack by his side, the colonel asked, “What do you really expect to find here, Daniel? After all these centuries and with this devastation there can hardly be anything left.”

“Who knows, Jack? They may have destroyed the city, killed the populace or at least punished them, but it is hardly likely they stripped the place of everything first.”

“You can’t expect to search the whole city!” Jack exclaimed.

“No,” Daniel actually smiled. “That would take a lifetime. I just…I can’t believe the clues led here for nothing,” he sighed.

Jack stared at his partner, realising for perhaps the first time since they had discovered the secret of the Phaistos disc just how much Daniel was counting on finding something on this abandoned world. He subsided and simply watched his archaeologist as the man searched for his elusive answer. Daniel never slowed his pace however, his eyes darted everywhere but he kept walking ever forward. Using his expertise for assessing every situation, Jack soon came to realise that Daniel was moving towards the centre of the ruined city. Daniel had unerringly found the arteries of the city and they had been following the clear lines of what once had been wide streets, strewn now with the remnants of the surrounding buildings. 

Glancing at his wristwatch, Jack noted they had been walking for over two hours and was about to call a break when Carter suddenly said, “Sir! I have an energy reading, very faint but continuous.”

“Where?”

“Almost directly ahead,” she frowned slightly.

“At the centre of the city,” Daniel said calmly.

If he didn’t know better, Jack would have said that Daniel knew it would be there.

Another ten minutes of walking brought them to a large open circular area; the only place they had seen since entering the city that was not littered with rubble. The floor of the central plaza, as Daniel called it, was created by the use of mosaics, the vibrant colours of which could still be seen, setting off the solid black monolith at the centre. It was about two metres tall and roughly a metre across, leaning back slightly on its narrow plinth. Jack couldn’t help but be reminded of the second Gate they were pulled through to the slave planet, but thankfully dismissed the comparison when he got a good look at the black stone. It seemed to suck all the light into its relentless surface and the colonel inadvertently shivered as he stared at it.

“I think that is the source of the energy reading, sir,” Carter commented, making a move towards it, only to be stopped by Daniel’s hand on her arm.

“Wait,” he said quietly. Standing on the edge of the plaza, Daniel just observed, finally moving in a slow, steady walk around the circumference of the circle. 

The others just watched, or rather Jack watched Daniel, Carter’s gaze tracked between Daniel and the monolith and her doohickey, while Teal’c watched the silent city surrounding them. Even though there was no evidence of any other people on the planet, Teal’c had spent too many years being protective to stop now, for which Jack would be forever grateful.

As Daniel approached them again, Jack asked, “Well?”

“It seems to be a simple representation of the power and might of the victors,” Daniel replied. 

“Okay, but I’m really more interested in that,” Jack said pointing to the black stone.

“Ah,” Daniel said, “That is a rendition of the sentence.”

“Which is?”

Daniel smiled at Jack’s confidence. “Give me time to translate it.” He stepped over the edge of the mosaic when Jack’s words stopped him.

“Ack! After Carter has completed her readings.”

“Well, actually sir, I don’t think I can tell you anything other than there is energy coming from the vicinity, but from where exactly or what kind I don’t know.”

“It hasn’t increased since we arrived?”

“No, sir, it is exactly the same.”

“Sweet. Okay, we go together. Keep searching, Carter.”

“Yes, sir.”

~~

Half an hour later, Daniel pleaded with Teal’c to take Jack on a patrol or something.

“What?” Jack asked sounding hurt.

“If you lean any closer over my shoulder you’ll be able to kiss the damned stone,” Daniel grumbled. 

“I’m just showing interest,” Jack responded, trying to stuff down the thoughts of kissing Daniel not some cold stone. Then again, Daniel wasn’t much warmer towards him at the moment he thought irritably.

“Well, go show interest somewhere else. Go scare something!”

“That’s gratitude for you,” Jack mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear. “Carter, do not leave his side,” he ordered as he moved away with Teal’c, “and keep an eye on that energy level.” 

“It’s not as if there’s anything else I can bother,” he was heard to complain as they marched away from the plaza, and Daniel shook his head at Sam who grinned.

A short time later Jack radioed to check on progress and Daniel told him he could return, which he did with alacrity. As expected he and Teal’c had found nothing but desolation and destruction.

“Well?” Jack asked as they approached.

“No progress yet, sir,” Carter reported.

“I have translated this but it doesn’t really tell us any more than we already know,” Daniel said.

“What exactly does it say?”

Consulting his notes, Daniel read, “Truth cannot be sullied by doubt, hope by despair. The unbelievers who tried to disrupt our progression by spreading the seed of dissention were sent beyond certainty where they could do no more harm.”

“They killed them!” Sam declared angrily, disgusted at the attempt to disguise their sentence with flowery words.

“No, Sam. It said they were sent somewhere they could do no harm – ‘beyond certainty’. They were alive.”

“What the hell does ‘beyond certainty’ mean?” Jack wanted to know.

“I don’t know,” Daniel frowned, “but I mean to find out.”

“I am also perplexed by the phrase ‘disrupt our progression’, to what could that refer?” Teal’c raised an eyebrow.

Daniel frowned, “The most likely explanation is simply another way to describe their desire for ascension.”

“Sir,” Carter interjected, “Didn’t Thor say the rebels were dealt with to avoid a civil war, so why the destruction here?”

“Yeah, he did say that,” Jack frowned.

Daniel listened and added that particular fact to the others zipping around his brain. He was missing something but he couldn’t …the metal! It was only found here according to Thor. The Phaistos disc had to have brought them here for something other than to read some writings, no matter how illuminating. Illuminating, of course!

“Jack, touch the monolith please,” Daniel asked sweetly. As expected Jack pulled a face but he carefully touched it anyway. Certain portions of the glyphs glowed faintly and as Daniel studied them he realised that the sections could unite to form Phaistos glyphs; they were definitely on the right track. Daniel quickly copied down the many sections and to ensure he hadn’t missed anything, Carter also videoed it. They needn’t have rushed though because the glow didn’t diminish until Jack released his hold. Daniel studied the sections carefully, expecting he would have to take them back to the SGC and spend time deciphering the meaning.

Pointing, Jack said abruptly, “Those two turned sideways would make one of the glyphs for the slave planet.”

“You’re right,” Daniel said thoughtfully. “That could be exactly what it is, a gate address. There are fourteen sections here, seven whole glyphs,” he postulated, looking up at his team-mates.”

“Would not the only way to be certain mean comparing the sections with the second gate on PX7?” Teal’c queried. 

“Very possibly,” Daniel replied absently. He had really hoped for something more definite, not just another bunch of vague clues. There had to be more. “The stele by the gate! The message – ignore not this example! That is exactly what I did. Fool!”

“What?” Sam asked puzzled.

“I assumed it meant the example meted out to the rebels, the destruction, but now I wonder if it’s not something so much simpler – ignore not this ‘message’.” He was met by a circle of confused faces. “Don’t you see? It’s out there in plain sight and it never even occurred to me. We have to return to the stele so Jack can touch it.” Daniel should his head at his short-sightedness; he’d been too busy looking for something so much more complicated.

Insisting on a break first for some much needed refreshment, the colonel eventually led the way back to the gate and the stele. At Daniel’s instruction, Jack touched the glyph for ‘example’ and a portion of the stele lifted to reveal a cache in which they found yet another disc. Carefully, Daniel reached inside and lifted out a metal disc roughly half the size of the Phaistos disc, but this one had a green gemstone set in the centre, incised with one glyph from the Phaistos disc. Running around the perimeter of the disc were more of the glyphs.

“Sir, I’m getting a very low energy reading from this disc. It is on the same wavelength as that from the monolith. I can’t explain why it didn’t register before; some property in the stele I presume.”

Jack nodded, feeling a little uneasy but he knew they needed to solve this mystery. It could be that here at last they found what they needed to protect their world.

Daniel was aware of the others talking but his mind was on the growing mystery of the discs. It seemed that PX7 played a role in this somewhere and obviously this special disc must have a very particular use. Daniel needed to concentrate to try and draw all the pieces together, providing of course that he had all the pieces.

Watching his partner, Jack recognised the signs all too clearly. Daniel would be lost in his own head for a while and he thought it would be best to get him home where the man could think things through. “Let’s head home with what we have so far,” Jack said, his glance at Daniel and back at Carter and Teal’c enough to tell them it was the archaeologist he wanted to get home.

“No, wait!” Daniel demanded. “We have to go back to the monolith.”

“Why? You have what you need from that,” Jack grumbled.

“No, there has to be more, something is missing. Don’t you see?” Daniel stared at his C.O., but Jack just frowned. “Or else, why the energy source?” Daniel said pointedly.

“He’s right, sir. It may be faint, but it is constant and must have a purpose.”

As they moved back once again towards the centre of the devastated city, Carter noticed a slow but steady rise in the energy levels she was detecting coming from the central plaza.

When they arrived, Daniel passed the gem-centred disc to Jack as the archaeologist shrugged out of his backpack. As soon as Jack touched it the green gem glowed brightly.

“Jack?”

“Sir!” Carter cried. “The energy level just shot up.”

Teal’c automatically raised his staff weapon but there was nothing visible to threaten them. Then suddenly there was a low grinding sound and the floor beneath their feet began to move. 

SG1 quickly scrambled to get off the mosaic floor and watched fascinated as the whole base slid back under the lip of the plaza, only being stopped as the black monolith came to rest against the far edge. 

“Wow!” Daniel commented, smiling at Jack. “Don’t know what exactly that gene is but it certainly has it uses.”

“Depends what’s down there,” Jack groused.

With half the floor gone the area beneath was exposed but they couldn’t see anything in the murky depths below. Carter dug into her pack and took out her flashlight even as Jack moved nearer, kneeling to place a hand on the edge of the plaza to get a better vantage point. Immediately a light source illuminated the interior.

~~

 

It had been both a revelation and a disappointment when they had descended beneath the plaza. A revelation for Carter as in the one large chamber that filled the space below the plaza she found a wealth of devices, most of which she had no idea what to do with but she was in heaven at the thought of finding out. It was a disappointment for Daniel because he only found more to translate and research, more questions and not the answers he had hoped for. Jack tried to encourage him by reminding him they’d already discovered yet another disc, this one different, very different from either the small metallic ones or the original clay one.

“Yeah,” Daniel sighed, “another question I don’t know the answer to.”

“It’s always one question after another every time we go through the gate, Daniel, you know that.” Jack glanced over at Carter working at the metal surface just behind them, and smiling wryly, he commented, “See, even Carter can only ask what and why.”

Looking at his team-mate, Daniel smiled too. Sam really did seem as if she had found a scientist’s dream. “I know, but her problems are tangible, given time – and help, I admit – she will solve her mysteries. Mine just seem to keep getting deeper.”

“Don’t be so negative, this is not like you, Danny,” Jack said softly. “Each time you uncover another layer, we are getting nearer.”

“Are we? Look,” the archaeologist commented sadly, indicating the small pile of tablets covered in Ancient script that were placed at the end of one of the two long benches. “They could just as easily be lists of requirements for their experiments or reports on whatever the hell they were doing here. Crap, they could even be shopping lists!”

“Oh yeah, sure, they went to all this trouble to hide this place and leave clues for folk with the right sort of gene just so we could uncover reports! The answer is here, Daniel, you just have to work it out.”

Daniel sighed, “I guess you’re right, I just thought…” He stopped, shaking his head, “I should have known better. After all, these were the people who never said anything in six words if they could say it in twenty.” 

Jack laughed and grabbed the back of Daniel’s neck squeezing him affectionately. “That’s my boy!” Turning to the others, Jack called, “Carter, you ready with that crystal thingy yet?”

Among the treasures Carter had raved over was a small circular device set into the bench. The surface of the bench itself was unusual as its composition was varied. Part of it was wood, part a kind of ceramic or hard plastic and the section holding this particular machine was metal. The machine curved upwards from a flat base to a central pillar with a small level section topped by a small red crystal. The curving sides had four narrow indents, one in each quarter, and lying in a ceramic tray inset into the base to one side of the device were about a dozen crystals, shaped to fit into the differing depressions. Around the circumference were small glyphs, each one separated into individual squares, set in two rows. Carter had already reported that she thought it might be some kind of information device, possibly even a type of computer. Daniel had tried not to expect too much, even though he had to admit the layout of the glyphs did indeed remind him of keyboard. However, he again placed his faith in translating the tablets, though he had to admit that for a race as advanced as the Ancients to only keep records on tablets, seemed odd.

The blonde major had been working for hours trying to find how the thing was powered and only about an hour earlier she thought she had finally worked it out. She deduced that the surface into which the mechanism was set was more than just a place to hold the machine. She believed that the metallic material was in fact linked to the power source. She even postulated that it could be the metal that Thor had referred to as being unique to this planet, the same one that formed the core of the Phaistos disc. It was even possible that the metal itself was the power source.

However, as she had told the colonel then, believing it didn’t mean she could actually power it up. Their check-in time was nearing and Jack had said that if she didn’t get anywhere by the time he had to head back to report, he would ask Hammond to send help. That irked the scientist and she re-doubled her efforts. 

Teal’c had given O’Neill a knowing look and grinning, Jack had turned away to see how Daniel had been doing, his smile fading as he saw the frustration on his partner’s face. Just then Jack would have given anything to take Daniel in his arms and give him a little comfort but it was impossible. Instead he offered all he could in the circumstances, verbal support.

Now, however, Jack really was out of time and he would have to make good on his threat to request help. However, the major’s reply caught him by surprise.

“Yes, sir, I think I’m ready to try the crystals now,” Carter turned to look at him, a broad grin on her face. “Though I have to admit I can’t claim all the kudos,” she looked sheepish as she glanced at Teal’c. 

“I merely pointed out that it may only need connecting by the simple expedient of pressing the on switch,” Teal’c said gravely.

“The on switch,” Daniel said amazement.

“Yes, I was expecting to have to jury-rig something but…well apparently the system was in a stand-by mode.”

Jack burst out laughing, slapping Daniel on the back as he did so. “See, I told you!”

“You did?” Daniel asked, wide-eyed

“Yep! I said the answer was here. You’ll see, I’m right.”

“’Kay,” Daniel said, but it was clear he was far from convinced. Turning to Sam, he asked, “Stand-by mode after all this time?”

“Well it’s a fair comparison in that there is a trickle of power constantly running through the system, that’s what I was picking up, which is also why I think the metal itself is the source of the power.”

“Which is why you could track it in both the disc and to the monolith, or rather under the monolith,” Daniel finished for her.

She smiled her agreement. “Now let’s see if I can flick the on switch.” She took a breath, depressed the central crystal and stood back to watch. The crystal dropped into the pillar and a very low hum was heard.

“Does anyone else feel that?” Jack asked. 

“Feel what?” Daniel queried.

Jack frowned, “As if…if tiny insect wings are brushing your skin.”

“Err, no. I don’t feel anything.” Daniel frowned at Jack.

“Your senses must be affected by the gene, O’Neill,” Teal’c commented.

"Let’s see if anything else affects you, sir. I think it best if you activate this, if someone tries who does not have the gene it simply might not work or it could be rigged to overload or damage it in some way.”

“Good thinking, Sam,” Daniel commented.

“What do you want me to do?” Jack asked, glancing at the major, “As long as it doesn’t damage me,” he muttered. 

Looking at the shape of each end of the long narrow crystals, Carter saw one was rounded and more bulbous and the other was narrow and pointed, ending in a rough pentagon shape. 

Realising she was going to choose one, Daniel interjected. “Sam, let Jack choose which one to use.”

“Ah, right,” Sam nodded and backed away.

Glancing at Daniel and with a slight shrug Jack looked at the crystals, eyes flicking to the device and, without thinking about it, picked up one of the crystals at random and inserted the pointed end into the corresponding opening in one of the quadrants. Immediately a light erupted from the bulbous end of the crystal, splaying out to project a smoky image. After a few seconds the image coalesced into the form of an elderly man. He was wearing pants and a tunic, topped by a long sleeveless cape. He turned within the pulsing light until he faced Jack, then a slow smile broke out on his lined face and he began to speak, but the words made no sense to the colonel.

“It’s Ancient, Jack,” Daniel said softly, eyes narrowed in concentration.

Not in the least surprised at that, Jack glanced over at Teal’c and as he expected, the Jaffa was filming it all. 

Daniel listened carefully as the old man spoke, explaining what had happened long ago to the people of Astralys. The hologram, for that’s what it must be, spoke only to Jack. At one point when Daniel became confused, he decided to see if it was interactive and asked a question but he was ignored.

“Jack, quickly, ask him this,” and the archaeologist spoke a short phrase in Ancient for Jack to repeat which he did with admirable accuracy. Immediately the hologram stopped, speaking and answered the simple question.

“Daniel, what is the Ancient for pause?” Jack hastily asked and when Daniel told him, Jack asked the old man to pause. Then he turned to the linguist for clarification, “Daniel, what did I just ask him?”

Daniel shrugged, “You asked him where Astralys is.”

“Astralys?”

“The name of this world.”

“Daniel, that makes no sense,” Sam interjected frowning, “We know where we are.”

Ignoring Carter’s comment, Jack asked, “And what did he answer?”

Worrying at his lower lip for a moment, Daniel told him. “To quote, ‘If you ask the question you know there is another answer. That is what you are here to learn’.”

“Well that explains a lot.” Jack was clearly exasperated.

“Ask him to continue,” Daniel said, rapidly repeating the word in Ancient.

Jack stared at him for a moment and then turned back to the eerie figure asking it to continue. Jack was frustrated, it was difficult to stand there and listen to this eons old recording and not understand a word. It was obvious that Daniel did and all Jack could do was be patient until the linguist had garnered all the information from the old man. He glanced at his team-mates; Carter looked as aggravated as he felt, even Teal’c seemed vaguely bored as he simply held the camera steady aimed at the apparition. After what seemed like hours the recording finally stopped speaking and faded from view.

“Is that it?” Jack spoke quietly.

“Yes, I expect the other crystals might have further information, but that one explained what happened here.” Daniel commented. He paused a moment before adding, “Though if you have any questions…?” 

“It’s you I wanna question,” Jack said dryly.

Daniel smiled, “Yeah, let’s move away a little so we can talk.” The four of them shifted to the other side of the chamber and Daniel began to explain what he’d learned from the Ancient recording device.

They were indeed on the world of Astralys where a terrible civil war had taken place. Eventually the Alteran authorities had defeated the rebels but the cost had been horrendous. The survivors had left the world, as it was, a testament to their victory, a vivid reminder of the cost of dissention, for not a single rebel had been allowed to live. 

“That doesn’t make sense, Daniel. They can’t all have died,” Sam interrupted, “Whose sentence is that registered on the stone above if not the losers?”

“That is why I asked the question where is Astralys? I was confused too. Above is the world of Astralys in our universe, our reality. The stele, the monolith, this room, they were all added later by Alterans from another universe.”

“Another universe? Oh, not that damned mirror thingy again?” Jack grumbled.

“No, Jack. Let me finish. On that Astralys they contained their insurgents before it came to a civil war, and they punished them as they said. Remember the wording that confused me? Thor’s legend spoke of ‘banished beyond conviction’ and above the monolith states, ‘sent beyond certainty’. They are both obscure ways of referring to reality. Somehow the Alterans sent their dissenters to our reality and over the long passage of time the two realities became merged in the legends. I believe that somewhere in this universe is their prison.”

There was silence for a moment as everyone digested this and then Teal’c remarked, “This still does not explain why the clues have tempted O’Neill here.”

“Ah, but it does,” Daniel smiled. “This happened long ago, more than ten thousand years,” he glanced at Jack as he said that.

“And the Phaistos disc is over ten thousand years old,” Jack said thoughtfully.

“Exactly. It seems the Alterans knew that in time their ancestors would spread through the galaxy – in every alternative variation – and that eventually they would reach the stars. Apparently they were more forgiving in the other reality, hoping that in time the rebels would learn the error of their ways and if they wished they would then be free to return to their own universe. If I understand this part correctly, they could survive quite well in our reality but they would always feel…wrong, out of place I guess. That was their punishment, they would know that this wasn’t their place in the universe, that they were ‘wrong.”

“They never knew that maybe one day they could go home?” Sam wondered.

“I don’t think so,” Daniel said sadly. Then honestly, he added, “I don’t know.” 

“So, these alternates left clues for the Alteran descendants in this reality to help them return home one day?” Sam supposed.

“Clues, and I surmise a method,” Daniel agreed. “The Phaistos disc has a particular metallic centre for a reason.”

“And the other discs, those you found on P7X and the one we found in the stele here,” Sam added, excitement dancing in her eyes, “we can solve this can’t we, Daniel?”

“We need to record everything on those crystals,” Jack interrupted. “Teal’c, bring the camera.”

~~

The team spent another long day in the secret chamber under the plaza on Astralys, recording everything that Jack retrieved from the crystals. Teal’c continued to film the various episodes showing a variety of figures speaking in Ancient in response to Jack’s presence. Daniel listened avidly, taking notes at his own breakneck speed. 

Meanwhile, Carter tried to learn what she could about the Ancient technology contained on the two long benches, before finally admitting it would take a lifetime – probably two to come to any conclusion! She couldn’t even get the ‘keyboard’ to work – yet.

Finally exhausted but satisfied with their progress, SG1 gated back to Earth to be greeted by a pleased and obviously curious General Hammond. He sent them off for the usual post-mission trip to the infirmary, where the doctor soon cleared them. Then they reported to the briefing room where they gave a potted version of what they’d learned to the general. Hammond could see they were all exhausted and told them to go home and write their reports in the morning. He scheduled a detailed debriefing for the following afternoon at sixteen hundred hours.

As the general left for his office, Jack turned to see Daniel piling all his papers together. Jack’s attention was distracted as Carter waved a tired goodbye and Teal’c dipped his head in his usual regal fashion as he left to perform kel’no'reem. 

“See you at home later, Jack,” Daniel said drawing Jack’s attention back to his partner.

“What do you mean, later? You’re coming home with me now.” Jack should have known that Daniel would try something like this.

“I just want to get a head start on my report while it’s still clear in my head,” Daniel said, not looking at Jack, his head down as he juggled files, papers and photos.

“Err, no,” Jack said firmly, striding to close the distance between them and taking the pile from Daniel’s hands to drop it roughly on the briefing room table.

“Jack!” Daniel cried.

“The general ordered us all home and I’m seconding that,” Jack declared, gripping Daniel’s shoulders and turning him towards the stairs. “We’ve had a hard mission, you most of all. I’m taking you home, you need to get to bed.”

Daniel turned around in Jack’s arms ready for an argument, but one look at the expression in his lover’s eyes and the smile curving his lips was all it took to convince Daniel that sleeping was not on Jack’s mind. Still, Daniel wavered, glancing at his stuff on the table, until Jack brushed gently against his hand.

“Daniel, the mystery has waited for over ten thousand years, one more night won’t matter,” Jack murmured.

With a soft smile Daniel capitulated. “Yeah, let’s go home.”

~~

A little over an hour later they were seated side by side on the sofa in Jack’s house. They had enjoyed a leisurely dinner and for once Jack refrained from drinking beer to share a pot of coffee with Daniel instead. They both felt too tired to indulge in alcohol, Daniel in particular tended to fall asleep too easily if he drank when he was exhausted and neither man wanted to sleep too soon.

Daniel leaned against Jack, who held the younger man to his side, listening to the lilting cadence of his voice as he spoke. “You do realise we couldn’t have discovered what we did without each other.”

“As ever,” Jack replied casually.

“No, Jack,” Daniel lifted his head. “Listen to me.” 

Jack sighed, “I was listening to your voice.”

Daniel smiled, “Now listen to my words.” Jack grinned and Daniel went on, “I mean you may have the Ancient gene but you’ve forgotten what little of the language you learned; I know the language but don’t have the gene. Two halves of the whole.”

“Bit odd don’tcha think, you not having the gene.”

“Odd?”

“You being glowy and all that, you should have the gene too,” Jack explained his thinking.

Daniel shrugged, “Being Ascended doesn’t actually make me an Ancient, an Alteran. I don’t know why you have the gene, don’t even know if you are the only one, though that seems unlikely.”

“Gotta say that seems weird to me too,” Jack said. “I’m no different than I ever was, but I sure feel different, up here,” he added, tapping his temple, “knowing that I have the gene.”

“No different to me,” Daniel murmured, arching up for a much-desired kiss.

~~

Two very contented men left their home for work early the next morning, separating when they arrived at the base to head for their offices and write up their experiences on Astralys. During the drive in, Daniel had been talking almost non-stop about his theories concerning the alternate Ancients till in the end Jack had tuned him out. They had arranged to meet up with Sam and Teal’c for lunch in the commissary, though privately Jack had decided he’d probably need to go and prise Daniel from his office and was actually surprised that his archaeologist did indeed arrive on time without having to be rounded up. 

“Daniel? Nice to see you,” Jack quipped.

“Needed some more coffee,” Daniel replied absently.

“So you didn’t come for lunch then?”

Daniel looked at him and noticed Sam and Teal’c seated at the table watching him. “Ah, is it that time already?”

“Yep.”

“Sorry, can’t stay, too much to do.”

“Daniel, you need to eat. You have plenty of time to finish your report. Mine’s already done,” Jack commented smugly.

“As is mine,” added Teal’c, picking up his knife and fork to begin eating.

Daniel glanced at Sam who just smiled and nodded. Shaking his head in frustration, Daniel said, “I’m only half done.” He put out a hand to forestall Jack and added, “I’ll grab a sandwich to go with the coffee. See you guys later.”

Jack sighed as his lover walked away. “Never gives himself a break,” he muttered.

“We should ensure after this mystery is solved that DanielJackson takes an extended vacation,” Teal’c said.

“Good idea,” Sam agreed.

Jack didn’t say anything, keeping his thoughts to himself as he wondered how or if he could arrange for them to get time off together. It would be perfect, he thought, somewhere nice and warm where Daniel could simply relax. No work, no war to worry about. Heaven. Except he wondered if Daniel knew how to take a vacation, his idea of relaxation was catching up on the work he couldn’t do at other times. Jack smiled to himself, Daniel had found another way to relax in recent months, one he enjoyed immensely, and he would just have to remind his lover of how much more fun that was than reading!

“O’Neill, you are not eating either,” Teal’c remonstrated. “Of what were you thinking?”

“Your suggestion of a vacation for Daniel.”

“Perhaps it would be best if we suggested going together, a team vacation,” Carter suggested cheerfully, “Daniel would be more likely to go then.”

Jack had to think of a way of quickly nipping that idea in the bud. 

~~

During the debriefing, after Daniel had given his very detailed and thorough report and while supposedly listening to Sam discussing the technology they had discovered, he was actually thinking desperately, trying to piece everything together. He knew the answer was there and he wasn’t quite seeing it. So deeply was he involved, he didn’t notice when the meeting drew to a close.

“Daniel?” Jack waited a moment before repeating, a little louder, “Daniel!”

“Hmm? What?”

“I have concluded the meeting, Doctor Jackson,” General Hammond informed him, “Unless you have anything else to add?”

Daniel frowned, “No,” he said slowly.

“Come on, Danny, I know that look, spill,” Jack countered good-naturedly.

“Okay, but this is just thinking out loud, you understand,” Daniel said, eyeing the general.

“Go ahead, son,” Hammond said indulgently, not being of a mind to ever stop Daniel voicing his ideas.

Daniel began to speak of his thoughts about P7X and putting them into words helped him see what had been there all along. A couple of helpful comments from Jack about the people they had met there, and the strange feelings the colonel had experienced whilst among them helped the last pieces to fall into place.

“We have to return to P7X, General,” Daniel said firmly. “I think we have all we need now to free the trapped Ancients.” 

“You believe it’s the people on P7X?” Hammond looked puzzled. “You spoke of them as fairly primitive, how can they be Ancients?”

“As I explained, the crystals didn’t give us the address, just lots of hints and clues as to where to look, yet the Phaistos glyphs clearly point to P7X. The more I think about it, the clearer it is, like why there are two gates and why they never went anywhere near either of them. I don’t understand how they did it but somehow they merged that world in both realities, one gate is from our reality, the other is the alternate gate. They couldn’t use either one.”

“I still don’t understand how we got sucked into that second gate,” Jack grimaced.

“No, but Freudl did say something about others being taken and never returning. I can only assume there was some kind of miscalculation, perhaps they caused a tear, a rent between the realities?” Daniel looked at Sam as he suggested that.

“I can’t answer that,” Carter said, “I don’t have enough evidence to even hypothesize.” She looked embarrassed to acknowledge that. It was all very well for Daniel to come up with these outlandish ideas but she couldn’t work like that. Nevertheless, it didn’t stop the frustration welling up. “There’s already so much about alternative realities I don’t know, and now I realise I know even less than I thought I did,” she admitted ruefully.

“Maybe the folks there can give us a clue,” Jack suggested.

“You really think they’ll still be aware of this, even after all this time?” Hammond queried.

“Oh, I’m pretty sure they know a whole lot more than they let on last time,” Daniel said firmly.

~~

Approximately eighteen hours later the team stepped through the gate on P7X 996. Though it had only been a few months since any of them had been on this world, each of them looked around with new eyes. If Daniel was correct, and Jack and Teal’c were convinced that he was, then they were standing on a planet that was existing somehow in two realities simultaneously. Though Sam would not admit it without some kind of evidence, privately she thought it would prove to be accurate.

“It sure doesn’t feel any different,” Jack commented.

“Different?” Daniel asked.

“From anywhere else we’ve gated to. You’d think it should feel different,” Jack shrugged.

“Indeed,” Teal’c agreed.

Carter just shook her head, glancing at Daniel who grinned at her and she couldn’t help but smile back.

“Take point, Carter,” Jack said and the major led the way along the well marked path towards the village at the valley head. “Not the time of year for the floods is it, Daniel?” Jack suddenly queried.

“No, that should be two or three months away yet.”

“Good, don’t feel like clambering over that valley floor again,” the colonel grumbled and Daniel smiled at how right everything felt.

They had walked about half way to the village when Carter warned, “Sir?”

“I see ‘em, Carter.”

“Is that Stail, Jack?” Daniel asked, squinting against the bright light at the three men waiting a short way ahead on the roadway.

“Sure looks like him, except he’s not wearing warrior gear,” Jack said, sizing up the tall man with the flowing mane of hair twisted and held by coloured cords and looped over one shoulder, the fair colour set off against the dark cloth of his robe. “And the other warrior, what was his name? Surra?”

“Surag,” Daniel corrected absently. As they approached the small group, Daniel declared, “Stail is dressed as an Elder!” He was so surprised that he spoke louder than he intended.

Stail stepped forward then and Daniel automatically performed the greeting ritual, with the others quickly following suit. The native returned the ritual, including the words of greeting. "As friends you return to our village, enter and be welcomed."

“Thank you, Stail. It is good to be among friends again.” Daniel nodded to Surag as well; he didn’t recognise the other warrior.

“Great to see you again, haven’t forgotten what you did for me,” Jack added with a smile and Stail gave a slight nod. “Been a change in your circumstances since last we saw you,” Jack simply said and Stail froze.

“Jack,” Daniel whispered harshly, “that means someone has died.”

“Yeah, I assumed it was Brunol, the guy was always sick,” Jack muttered back.

“I’m afraid you are mistaken. Brunol is frail but he is well. I was a student to Freudl.”

“You mean Freudl is dead?” Daniel was shocked.

“Sadly yes. He had hoped to survive until you returned but I think he knew really that it wouldn’t come to pass.”

“Our return?” Daniel queried.

Stail smiled softly and immediately Daniel was reminded of Freudl. “Come, Aruon is waiting to greet you.” With that he turned and began to walk again, his companions walking to the side and slightly ahead of him.

Daniel glanced at Jack. They had specifically wanted to talk to Freudl; Jack in particular had sensed a…presence about the man. Daniel believed he was the one who could answer their questions. 

With a confident smile, Jack said quietly, “Don’t worry, it won’t have died with him, they wouldn’t allow that. Stail did say he was his student.”

“Let’s hope he learned his lessons well,” Daniel answered.

~~

As they entered the village environs it was to find a welcoming committee waiting. Jack glanced at the others, it had been a surprise when Stail had greeted them on the trail but he had assumed that had just been a stroke of luck, but this…

Aruon approached smiling broadly, “Greetings, old friends, it is so good to see you again.” He bowed slightly. “I trust Stail and his companions welcomed you properly?” he asked, his eyes flicking to the other Elder and Stail inclined his head in acknowledgement.

“He did, though it was a surprise to see him.” Before Daniel could continue, Jack interjected.

“Yep, like to know how you knew we were coming though. Kinda obvious we were expected.”

“Jack,” Daniel admonished softly. Jack ignored him, keeping his attention on Aruon.

The Elder smiled gracefully. “We knew you would return one day and Stail suggested we keep an eye on the Standing Ring. As soon as you stepped through a message was sent to Stail. He set out immediately to greet you.”

“A message?” Sam asked. “How?” These people had always seemed fairly primitive, no radios or other kinds of technology for sending messages had been seen, so how?

Stail stepped forward. “A simple method. A bird trained to find me.”

“Ah, like a homing pigeon,” Daniel nodded.

“I know not this word, pigeon,” Stail pronounced the word awkwardly, “but if this is a bird that flies home to its master, then yes.”

“The old ways are sometimes the best,” Jack commented sagely. He’d heard of homing pigeons being used during the second world war with some success, so who was he to be so suspicious. 

“Unless there are better, more advanced methods,” Sam hinted, staring at the Elder. If they really were Ancient why were they living like primitives? She still wasn’t convinced that Daniel was right about this, despite all the obvious clues.

“Come, we will eat,” Aruon broke the uncomfortable silence. He turned away indicating the central building where the Elders settled disputes and held meetings and where the villagers came together for feasts and discussions. It seemed as if everyone in the village followed the visitors and the Elders inside. 

The final Elder, Brunol arrived just as the visitors were shown to positions of favour at the Elders’ table on the dais at the centre of the large hall. He gave a slight bow as he approached, walking this time instead of needing to be carried in his sick bed. 

“Looking much better there, Brunol,” Jack commented.

“Thank you, I am,” Brunol answered, taking his seat beside Aruon.

During the welcome feast the Elders spoke only of simple things that had happened in the life of the village since they had last visited, the guests listening politely, Daniel asking the occasional interested question. Then as the meal came to a close Aruon spoke sadly of Freudl’s death.

“Even though it was expected, it was no less a shock when he finally left us.” Aruon glanced towards Stail before adding, “He had hoped to see your return but he told his successor that hope wasn’t enough when the fates were against you.”

Jack was intrigued by the referral to their return but decided to stick to the plan to let Daniel do the talking – for now.

Stail nodded his assent, saying, “My master spoke many times of his belief that at last the time had come for the circle to close. I am sad that he did not live to witness his prophecy come to pass.”

“The circle?” Daniel queried, confused. Surely he wasn’t referring to the Stargate.

“We will talk of this in private,” Aruon interjected. He clapped his hands sharply once and stillness descended on the gathering, then turning his hands palm up he lifted them in an unspoken command for the villagers to rise and leave. In silence everyone got to their feet, bowed respectfully to the dais and walked out of the central hut. Surag and his fellow warrior, Timol stationed themselves near the door as guards.

When there were only the Elders and SG1 and the two guards left in the hall, Aruon looked steadily at Daniel who met his glance patiently. Aruon suddenly smiled and said, “Perhaps it might be best if you tell us why you returned?”

Daniel smiled back and replied, “Why, when you admitted you expected us?”  
Aruon laughed and Daniel pressed home with, “Perhaps you could explain why you expected us,” he hesitated a beat and added, “and why specifically us?”

Smiling approvingly, Stail commented, “When Freudl told me that this one was special,” he indicated Daniel with a nod of his head, “I thought at first that he was the one we had been waiting for and at first I didn’t understand when he told me it was the other one. But gradually I realised.”

“The other one?” Teal’c interjected.

However, the question went unanswered, as instead Aruon said, “We have reasons for not wishing to explain ourselves until we discover exactly how much you have learned since last we met.” Aruon stared at each member of SG1, carefully looking into each pair of eyes, finally settling on Daniel yet again. “If you know what I hope you do, you will understand why I ask, why it is imperative that you tell us what has happened in the intervening time.”

Daniel glanced at Jack who gave an imperceptible nod. Teal’c passed Daniel his pack, which the younger man held on his lap as he began to explain how the clues had been followed which had eventually led them back to P7X. The Elders listened carefully, looking at each other sporadically, but not saying a word as Daniel spoke. Jack watched the Elders carefully as they listened and it was obvious that none of them was surprised by a single thing they heard.

As Daniel’s voice faded, Brunol simply asked, “Have you brought them with you?”

Without needing any further allusion, Daniel opened his pack and slowly took out three packages of varying sizes. First, he opened a small tie string bag and took out the two small copies of the Phaistos disc he had found on P7X all those months ago. Next, he uncovered a small box, about three inches square and inside there was a thick padding on which lay the metal disc with the green gemstone with a glyph incised into the centre. At last he came to the final, largest container and he carefully uncovered the protective layers before finally displaying the five-inch diameter clay tablet, the original Phaistos disc from Crete.

The Elders had moved closer as Daniel revealed each item and when he finally brought out the Phaistos disc, Aruon arose and knelt in front of Daniel.

“This is really it? You said it could not be brought from your world as it was unique to your people.” His hand hovered over the item but he did not touch it.

“That was no lie,” Daniel confirmed. “It was only when I began to understand that it had to have some special…” Daniel hesitated because he still didn’t really know what it was for. “I…borrowed it,” he shrugged not knowing if he should mention the Asgard and gazed at Jack.

The colonel decided enough was enough and said, “Well I think Daniel has told you everything, now I wanna hear your side.”

Surprisingly, it was Brunol who answered. “Of course, but just one more question before I give you our history. Jack, what happened when you touched the items?”

It was quite obvious to Jack and the rest of his team that Brunol already knew the answer before he asked the question; the look in his eye gave it away even if his self-satisfied expression hadn’t.

Jack smiled but it wasn’t the pleasant smile he had been using, it was every bit as smug as Brunol’s. “Now why do I get the impression you already know?   
You’ve always known what the discs were for haven’t you? And that one day someone would arrive who could affect them.” He looked from one expectant face to the next. With a sigh Jack finally confirmed, “My touch caused the discs to glow.”

Aruon nodded, “You are a descendant of our people.”

“You really are Ancients, Alterans?” Carter asked, somewhat stunned. She glanced at Daniel but the archaeologist looked quite calm, not showing any of the pride she felt he ought to at being right in his assumptions all along.

“Yes, Major Sam,” Aruon replied, his smile genuine. “Though it serves no particular purpose in our exile on this world,” he paused for a moment then with a gentle sigh, he continued, “Our people have stagnated here for many centuries.”

Daniel didn’t know what to say to that, so instead he asked, “What happened? I mean the crystals on Astralys told their version and according to them your ancestors had committed a terrible sin that threatened to split your people apart, but they never explained what it was you actually did. From what we found on the planet, it seemed obvious that at least in this reality a civil war did take place, so what was so terrible?”

“Like most things in life, perception is everything,” Brunol answered. “To our ancestors what they did wasn’t terrible, it was no sin, no crime. It was merely a different choice, another way to look at progress.” He stopped and glanced at his fellow Elders, a question evident in his eyes. Aruon inclined his head and Brunol turned back to SG1, specifically Daniel. “We have no way to know what happened to the Alterans in this reality. We would assume from what you say happened on Astralys that...” He stopped again. “What do you know of our people in this reality?”

Daniel suddenly realised what they meant, what they couldn’t possibly know. “As far as we are aware there are no Ancients – Alterans still living in our galaxy, possibly not anywhere in the universe. Long ago a plague began to decimate them and those that could chose to ascend to a higher form of existence where they exist purely as beings of energy. We understand that those not choosing to ascend died out. It is possible that you are the only ones left anywhere, though of course we don’t know if that is true in your reality.”

Aruon dipped his head and for a long moment no one spoke. Then the Elder lifted his head and began to speak slowly, sadness in his voice. “It is probable there are none left there either. The plague you spoke of was already creeping across our galaxy when the disagreement began on Astralys, other worlds too. You see, as a race the Alterans had been moving towards what you call ascension but it was a long slow process and we believed a long way off but the appearance of the plague changed things.”

“Yes,” Brunol took up the story. “Our people became afraid understandably, that we might die out as a race before we achieved the next level of being, and some of our best scientists were put to work to find a way to speed up the ascension process. Many of us believed it was wrong to go against the natural progression, believing that if we were meant to ascend then we would – when the time was right. If fate had a different plan for us then who were we to interfere? 

“As time passed it became less of a philosophical question and more of a political cause. Our people split into two opposing factions, those who wished to pursue ascension at any cost and those who thought it was wrong. Things came to a head when they finally succeeded in…aiding the process of ascension. Over a matter of months almost a quarter of Alterans ascended and our ancestors believed it was tantamount to blasphemy, but there was nothing they could do but keep speaking out against it.”

“What about the plague?” Daniel asked.

“Ah, the plague,” Brunol said. “That was progressing slower than the surge for ascension. It was even possible that it might never have reached our worlds out on the edge of the galaxy but we never even found out. The fear of the disease was moving faster than the plague and our people, who had created the most advanced civilisation the galaxy had yet witnessed, crumbled before their own panic. 

“Before they knew it, those speaking against ascension were called traitors, accused of all manner of actions against the status quo of the authorities. They were charged with acts of sabotage, causing the deaths of those who attempted ascension. None of it made any sense. By now all the dissenters wanted was to be left alone to make their own choice. They wanted to live as flesh and blood beings; they had no wish to exist as little more than clouds floating above the reality of life. If that meant risking contracting the plague then who were they hurting beside themselves? But no, it seemed those in power wanted everyone to follow their will. It was said that those already ascended kept coming back, insisting it was wonderful, demanding that the others join them.” 

Stail spoke up for the first time. “I don’t know how true this is, it was only mentioned once in the writings of the original exiles, but it was written that the ascended ones had terrible powers that they threatened to unleash against those who would not acquiesce. There was a description of a bolt of lightning coming from a clear sky that struck the ground like an explosion.”

Daniel glanced at Jack, a frown creasing his brow. Jack met his gaze with an equal look of confusion.

“What is it?” Aruon said, seeing the exchange.

Shrugging, Jack said, “We’ve had some experience with the ascended and they certainly are capable of lots of stuff, not least sending fire and lightning to destroy but…”

“But,” Daniel continued, “They are pretty adamant about not using their power. In fact, they refuse to interfere in the lives of mere mortals. They don’t consider us worth their time.” Daniel sounded very bitter.

Brunol frowned, “I don’t understand.”

“Err, Daniel here was an ascended being for a while,” Jack put an arm round Daniel’s shoulders; he could feel his partner’s tension. “He got kicked out because he refused not to interfere. He kept on helping us, protecting his friends.”

The Elders glanced at one another and then turned back as Teal’c began to speak.

“DanielJackson would not abandon his connection with those he cared for. This was anathema to the ascended, who prefer to see people suffer and die rather than interfere. It would seem much has changed in the millennia since your ancestors were banished here.” 

“Daniel was ascended?” Aruon looked at the archaeologist with wide eyes. “How did this come to be?”

When it was clear that neither Daniel nor Jack were going to answer, Carter explained softly, “Daniel sacrificed himself to save a whole planet of people and as he was dying he was visited by one of the ascended who offered him the chance to ascend.” She looked swiftly at Daniel but he was still looking at his hands twisting on his lap. “He thought he could do more good that way and took up the offer.”

“But I learned that it wasn’t the freedom I expected,” Daniel interjected. “I had visions of helping on a grander scale, instead I found my hands were tied and I was locked behind the bars of the biggest cage imaginable. It was torture.” 

Recognising how much this bothered Daniel and by association Jack, Aruon decided it was time to bring the subject back to its original path. “Whatever the ascended are like now, in our ancestors’ time they were demanding and influential. More and more of our people were turning to ascension as the only solution and those opposed came to be seen as disruptive and ultimately dangerous. Our historical record explains how the authorities became afraid of an uprising, suggesting that the dissenters would resort to physical violence. They spoke long and loud of the threat of a civil war, but the ancestors insisted that was never their intention.” Aruon looked around at those listening, his fellow Elders and SG1, his confusion showing. “But from what you said you found on Astralys, perhaps in this reality they were never given any other chance.”

“Do you know how it was that your ancestors came to be sent here?” Teal’c asked.

“They were tricked,” Brunol replied harshly. “The authorities claimed they were having second thoughts, that they were running out of time and didn’t believe there was any point in continuing the fight against those who refused to share their point of view. They requested a meeting to make arrangements for all the dissenters to leave Astralys for another world where they could make a society of their choosing. The leaders of both sides met and after detailed discussions it seemed it was the best solution all round and Kashaen, the organiser of the dissenters recommended the plan. It took some arranging but a short time later everyone who wished to leave was to congregate in one place and from there they were to leave for another planet. It is not certain if every dissenter did indeed attend but the records suggest that a large number did.

“It seems they couldn’t envisage their own people turning against them so dramatically and weren’t suspicious, but when they were all gathered together at the embarkation point a type shield surrounded them. From what we understand, inside the shield they were held in some kind of field in which they couldn’t move but they could hear. All they heard was the pronouncement of banishment upon them.”

“They knew then that they were being sent to another reality?” Daniel asked.

“Not then,” Aruon answered. “Not till they regained their senses on awaking on what they assumed was the other world. They couldn’t understand why they had been treated in such a way and were transported there when they had been willing to move to a new home. It was only when Kashaen found the crystal that they understood.”

“Crystal?” Carter queried.

Aruon rose to his feet, the other two Elders quickly emulating him. “It provided an answer and set a conundrum that plagued our people for millennia. Come, you shall see.”

~~

It wasn’t really much of a surprise when Aruon and the others showed them an underground chamber with a device not dissimilar to the one SG1 had found on Astralys, except this one only had a slot for one particular crystal. The holographic figure projected explained why the dissidents had been removed so they could no longer ‘infect’ the general populace and eventually spread their ‘poison’ through the rest of the Alteran race. 

One of the first things they learned was that the gate from their own reality, the one the SGC knew as the northern standing ring, would not work in their new reality; it couldn’t take them home. In fact they could not survive for long away from this bubble they were caught in.

Daniel interrupted the presentation and asked Aruon, “How come the northern standing ring worked for me and took Jack and me through to the slave planet?”

The Elder regarded Daniel steadily for a moment, caught by the man’s tension, before answering. “The ring did not work for you, Daniel; it was Jack’s proximity that caused the ring to react.”

“Ah…okay,” Daniel said thoughtfully, “But I don’t think that really explains why it worked at all, or who the people were on the other planet. In fact where was the other planet? If I understand you properly, that gate only leads to the alternate reality!”

Stepping forward, it was Stail who explained that there was a long-standing puzzle regarding the northern ring. “It’s true the gate only led into our original reality and was supposed to be forbidden to us. The accepted theory came to be that somehow another world had become caught in the ‘bubble’ created to imprison us.”

“Yes,” Aruon interjected. “There’s an old story of a group of the refugees refusing to accept their banishment and attempting to make the gate operate somehow; perhaps they succeeded but only in becoming trapped on yet another world.”

“So, what happens to those on the slave planet,” Carter queried, “If the refugees some day can return to their own reality?”

“We do not know,” Aruon admitted. “Maybe they are forever trapped there, or maybe they would be drawn home too,” he shrugged.

After a short pause, Aruon described the shock and dismay of their antecedents when they realised just how they had been removed. All of them were now in a different reality, trapped with no way home. Suddenly they were thrust into a whole new way of life, a life without technology of any kind, so unlike the highly sophisticated world in which they had lived. 

Not only that, but the gradual changes in their body chemistry that had increasingly allowed the Alterans to affect the natural world around them no longer worked in this reality. It soon became clear that whatever had been happening to them that would have eventually resulted in their ascension to another life form wouldn’t be possible while they were trapped in the wrong reality. They were struck by the irony of that; the whole confrontation that had resulted in their banishment had come from their refusal to ascend; now they couldn’t even if they wanted to.

Finally, the apparition told them that in time the descendants of the Alterans could return to their own reality but not until the Alterans or their descendants in this reality freed them. 

Daniel did his best to listen quietly to the comments of the Elder. He felt the presence of Jack standing close behind him, lending him support and letting him take centre stage again. “Your people certainly seem to have adjusted well to the dramatic change in their lifestyle,” he said quietly.

Brunol smiled indulgently, “It has been many centuries, my young friend. The early years were very difficult. They literally had a scratch a living from the soil at first though eventually they did build a good life for themselves.”

“But,” Aruon interrupted, “unfortunately they also brought the same tendency to disagreement with them.”

“What does that mean?” Jack asked. 

“Just that it doesn’t matter if people are given what they said they wanted, there is always someone who considers something’s still missing.”

“What was this circle you referred to earlier?” Daniel asked, “When you said something about Freudl hoping to live to see the closing of the circle?”

“Ah, there was a second crystal that was damaged a number of years later. It no longer worked but the last Elder to hear its message wrote it down for future generations. It told of a far off time when the descendants of the refugees would finally be able to return home.” Aruon stopped then, looking from Jack to Daniel, a slight smile gracing his expressive face. “A time when all the necessary parameters are in place.”

As the others continued to discuss matters, Daniel quietly took Stail to one side. 

“I, um, I wonder if you could answer a question for me?”

“Of course,” Stail replied politely, “How can I be of assistance?”

“I wonder about the possibility of a person from my reality being able to sire a child with a person from your reality,” Daniel said diffidently.

Frowning, Stail asked, “Why would you ask such a question?”

Taking a deep breath, Daniel simply stated, “As the purveyor of new blood I was forced to attempt to seed a female slave.”

Stail’s eyes widened and gently he asked, “And you never knew if…?”

“No.”

Kindly, the Elder said, “Do not concern yourself, Daniel. I sincerely doubt it would be possible due to the incompatibility between you.”

Unknown to both men Jack had moved closer, knowing his lover well enough to recognise when he was worrying over something and he overheard the end of the exchange. As Stail moved away, Jack walked over to a distracted Daniel and squeezed his shoulder. Daniel glanced at him and realised his lover had overheard. He smiled wanly and Jack knew he was hopeful but still not positive. Jack believed it was all he would ever know and planned to do his best to convince his partner that there was no way he could’ve made the woman pregnant as they were from different realities.

It wasn’t long afterwards that it was decided to call a halt to the proceedings for the day, as it was late. Daniel hadn’t wanted to stop, knowing there was more to discover about where the discs were meant to be used but Jack agreed with the Elders that it could wait another day. It was clear that everyone was tired and not knowing what was involved, it seemed sensible to come at it fresh in the morning.

SG1 retreated to the guest hut they had been given, the same one they had shared almost a year earlier when the team had first visited the planet. It consisted of two large bedrooms, set either side of a central area, which was divided into three. The middle area was used as a sitting room with a kitchen at one end and a small bathroom at the opposite end. As was usual when they were on a mission, Sam and Teal’c shared one room while Jack and Daniel took the other.

Jack had already ruled against any sex on missions. Daniel had reminded him that they had already broken that rule on this very planet, but Jack had shrugged and cited ‘extenuating circumstances’. 

“What?” Daniel grinned, “Because we were celebrating our escape?”

“You could say that,” Jack grinned back. “Though I was thinking more of our future together,” he added in a more serious tone.

Staring at his lover, Daniel asked, “Can we at least sleep together?”

“Sleep?” Jack asked warily.

“Yeah, I like waking up in your arms, so sue me,” Daniel admitted.

“Nah, nothing to sue you for, I like the way you think,” Jack smiled, though he didn’t confess it might also be akin to torture, holding Daniel and yet not being able to touch.

~~

Rolling away from Jack, Daniel wearily got out of bed. Noting it was only just after three in the morning at that moment he regretted indulging in that last drink. 

“What’s up?” Jack murmured, reaching for him.

“S’okay, Jack, just going to the bathroom, go back to sleep.”

“’Kay.” Jack was already drifting.

It was two hours later when Jack began to wake again. Turning drowsily he reached for Daniel, but his hand touched empty, cold sheets. Immediately Jack opened his eyes but his senses hadn’t lied; his lover was not in the bed, and then he recalled Daniel getting up to go to the bathroom, but surely that had been hours ago. He glanced at his wristwatch and clearly saw by the hazy light that it was five-thirty. It had been dark when Daniel had gone to the bathroom. 

As they were sharing one bed, the other one had been left unused, but Jack quickly checked to see if for some reason Daniel had decided to use it, but that bed was empty too. Jack was now considering the possibility that his partner had been ill and was perhaps still in the bathroom so he hurried into the central area and through it to the bathroom. He didn’t bother with the politeness of knocking or listening at the door; he simply swung it open. It was empty. A cold lump settled in his stomach, Jack just knew something was wrong. 

“Daniel,” he said, repeating louder as he moved through the middle room into the still dark kitchen area, “Daniel!”

The other bedroom door opened suddenly and Teal’c stepped out. “Is something wrong, O’Neill?”

“Daniel is missing.”

“He is not in bed?”

“Would I be here calling for him if he was?” Jack snapped.

Teal’c just raised an eyebrow and Jack shrugged by way of apology. 

“He went to the bathroom a couple of hours ago,” Jack explained. “I just woke up again and realised he’d never come back. I checked but he’s not in this hut.” Jack stared at the Jaffa then. “You didn’t hear anything?”

“No, I was deep in kel’no’reem; my symbiote was very stressed today. MajorCarter has been asleep the whole time.”

As if in answer to her name, Carter appeared just then, a robe wrapped around her, her hair mussed. “What’s going on?” she asked blearily.

“Daniel is missing,” Jack said starkly.

~~

As awareness returned to the archaeologist his first thought was to wonder what had woken him, except that he didn’t feel as if he was waking from sleep. He felt fuzzy, stiff and chilled. When, cautiously, he opened his eyes he was grateful not to be looking into too much brightness, but instead he found he couldn’t see clearly, and not just because he wasn’t wearing his glasses. Totally confused, Daniel wondered what had happened and where the hell he was. The last thing he clearly remembered was leaving his nice warm bed, and Jack, to go the toilet. That had definitely been inside a building, not outside under the stars, and fuzzy eyesight or not that was definitely where Daniel was now.

Daniel attempted to rise then but found his efforts stymied when he realised his wrists were bound. At first he’d simply assumed his arms were stiff from the position he had been lying in, but on struggling to his knees and twisting to look behind his back, he confirmed his wrists were tied with rope.

Just then a figure came into view, bending down in front of him and it was with relief that he recognised the face of Surag, the warrior who, with Stail, had helped Daniel look after Jack following their escape from the slave planet. He had also been serving as one of SG1’s guards during their present visit.

“Surag,” Daniel said calmly and the archaeologist was a little surprised at the strange expression flittering across the other man’s face – until the archaeologist’s memory came flooding back. 

Daniel recalled making his way from the bedroom to the bathroom in the semi-dark of the middle room, which was lit only by the faint light left on in the bathroom, when out of the shadows eased the figure of Surag. Daniel was startled for a moment but relaxed as he recognised one of the men detailed for their protection. His calm shattered however, as Surag abruptly forced a cloth over Daniel’s face, grabbing him firmly around the shoulders at the same time. Even as he struggled, trying to call for help, Daniel only succeeded in filling his mouth with a sickly sweet taste which caused him to reel for a moment before his world went dark and he knew no more.

Staring now at the man bending over him, Daniel tried to ask why he’d been attacked, but his tongue felt thick and heavy in his mouth.

“It will be a little while before you can speak,” Surag told him. “I mean you no harm but I cannot allow you to continue.”

~~

Jack was seesawing between anger, fear and confusion. They were guests on a supposedly safe world with no reason for Daniel to be in any danger, so what the hell had gone wrong. 

“O’Neill,” Teal’c called and Jack hurried over to where the Jaffa was kneeling not far from the bathroom door. 

“What have you found?” Jack asked, eyes scanning the scratch marks on the floor. 

“Signs of a scuffle,” Teal’c turned towards the back wall. “A man was secreted in that corner. The light from the bathroom would have made this area appear even darker. It is likely DanielJackson would have been unaware of his presence until it was too late.”

“That would explain why he never had a chance to call out,” Jack said thoughtfully.

“Possibly, but there is an odour here that I do not recognise; it is possible DanielJackson was incapacitated before he knew what was happening.”

“Damnit! Who, for cryin’ out loud? And why?”

“There must be a reason, sir,” Sam interjected. “Just because we can’t see it doesn’t–“

“Of course there must be a reason,” Jack interrupted gruffly, “and I just bet the Elders know exactly what it is.” Pacing erratically, Jack suddenly stopped and turned. “Let’s get going. T, you can track them.”

“Sir!” Now it was Carter who interrupted. “Don’t you think it might be better if we got some Intel first?”

“Daniel has already been missing for over two hours,” Jack replied irritably.

“I know, sir, but we need every advantage we can get. If we know why he was taken we might also learn where.”

Jack felt suitably chastened not to have thought of that himself. He needed to get a grip, not allow himself to think emotionally. He needed to supplant Jack’s feelings with the strategic thinking of the colonel. “You’re right of course, Carter. Let’s go and get some answers.”

~~

“Continue with what?” Daniel asked, his tongue still felt odd but at least he could talk again. “All I’m – we’re trying to do is help your people get back to where you belong.”

“By whose definition?” Surag questioned harshly.

Frowning, Daniel said, “I don’t understand what you’re talking about or why you dragged me out here.”

Surag sighed, “No, of course you don’t because they didn’t tell you anything about the others.”

A chill settling in his stomach, Daniel asked, “The Others, what do you know of the Others?”

Surag frowned at the change of tone in Daniel’s voice. “What do I know of the others?” he asked, incredulous. “Everything of course, as does everyone else here, except you and your friends.”

Realising they were talking at cross-purposes, Daniel took a breath and started again. “Okay, I’m confused. Who are these…others you are talking about?”

Surag stared at him, frowning and shaking his head slightly. “It never occurred to you that not everyone feels the same about this plan of the Elders?”

Now it was Daniel’s turn to look perplexed. “I…I…No, everyone seemed so happy, so settled. There was no sign of any disagreement and…and,” Daniel stopped, suddenly appalled that he had never asked the question. “I think you’d better tell me everything.”

“When our people were first brought to this world it took all our energy, all our knowledge just to forge a life for ourselves but eventually we created something good. Something clean and wholesome and for many of our ancestors it was everything they’d wanted. However, those who assumed authority were determined to keep our history alive, not to allow us to ever forget our troubled past and who we had been…to never let us forget how our forefathers had been betrayed.”

Surag went on to explain that eventually a split had taken place, with those who wanted to embrace the simple agrarian life thrust upon them leaving to start their own settlement. Grimacing, Surag compared the situation developing on their new home planet with that for which the ancestors had originally been banished. The cause may not be the same but the resultant disagreement that split their society just the same. 

Listening, all Daniel could think of was that he had failed in his job. 

~~

Jack listened to Aruon’s explanation in disbelief. How could they have missed something so vital? How had he missed it?

“It’s sad really,” Aruon was saying, “they left us to live what they claimed was a different kind of life but this world gave us no choice but to live a simple life too. The Agrarian group wanted to escape reminders of their past but their own embittered attitude kept the memory very much alive.”

“Embittered attitude?” Carter queried.

It was Brunol who answered, his eyes tracked from one member of SG1 to the next, finally settling on Jack. “You never questioned our need for warriors.”

The Elder’s simple statement hit Jack squarely in the gut. He really hadn’t questioned it beyond the simple fact that it seemed natural for any society to feel the need to protect itself. He realised now he ought to have considered just how well trained and equipped the warriors were for their apparently peaceful existence. He had failed and failed badly and now Daniel was probably paying the price.

Aruon was speaking again and Jack forced himself to listen. He could take himself to task for his failure later, when – he wouldn’t even think if – they got Daniel back safely.

“Unfortunately as time passed the disagreement wasn’t forgotten. Instead of two separate communities living quietly, it seemed the two sides were determined to convert the other group to their way of thinking,” Aruon sighed. 

“Yes,” Brunol interjected. “There were quiet periods, sometimes lasting many decades, but always it would start again. Some new leader would emerge, on one side or the other, determined to prove his way was ‘right’. On one momentous occasion an Elder of the Agrarians was determined to destroy permanently the links to our past, our way home, forcing us to accept their ‘new’ way of life. We fought back but almost lost the battle. It was after that we adopted a warrior culture. We had never trained our men to fight before, we hadn’t thought it was necessary but after that incident the warrior caste was born.”

“Yes, and unfortunately we have needed to resort to defending ourselves more often than we would like,” interjected Aruon.

“And you think these Agrarians have somehow taken Daniel? But why?” Jack wondered.

“To stop you sending us home.”

Just then the door to the hut was flung open and Stail strode in. “Surag is missing,” he announced without preamble. 

“Surag?” Aruon queried, his voice hard. “He and Timol were supposed to be guarding the visitors. I assumed they were searching for Daniel.”

“I too, but then Timol was found unconscious and hidden in undergrowth behind the visitor’s hut. I immediately ordered a search for Surag too but he cannot be found. I have to assume he is in league with the Agrarians.”

Angry now, Jack demanded, “Why the hell didn’t you warn us about these people? We had no idea there was any risk!” Jack also reckoned he needed a word with Carter as to why there had been no trace of this other settlement during the original survey before their first visit to the planet. 

Aruon looked at his fellow Elders for a long moment before turning back to SG1. “Truly we did not think you would be at any risk. It has been some time since the Agrarians have posed any threat and we believed you were safe.”  
Sighing, he added, “We were foolish to think they had simply given up.”

“Also you did not wish to deter O’Neill and DanielJackson from attempting whatever ceremony you consider necessary,” Teal’c said stonily.

Brunol faced the angry Jaffa and said calmly, “You are correct but it is also true we did not believe they were in any danger. Surag has been a trusted member of the inner circle for a long time.”

“I trusted him,” Stail admitted softly.

Jack looked at the one time warrior, remembering that Surag had been a friend, probably for many years. He recalled how the two men had helped him during his escape from the slave planet with Daniel. The colonel knew what it was like to be betrayed by a fellow soldier and he knew how the man must be feeling. He also knew that now was not the time to dwell on it. “So, you think you know him well enough to know what his plans are for Daniel? Where he might have taken him?”

~~

“Why me?” Daniel suddenly demanded to know. 

“What?”

“Why take me, wouldn’t it have been better to take Jack?”

The warrior stared at Daniel, shrugging as finally he answered. “I was desperate. I couldn’t think of a way to stop you and I didn’t think I had time to get help. I know that together you and the colonel expect to be able to complete the ritual, which is the last thing my people want. Then I thought of the sleeping drug. I was in the outer chamber considering how to act when the door opened. I hid quickly and watched when you came out. It seemed providence had answered my problem.”

Nodding his understanding, Daniel asked, “Why are your people afraid to return to your own reality, isn’t that where you belong?”

“We are not afraid!” Surag refuted angrily. “This is our home now. We have worked for many centuries to make it so. Why should we leave it? For what? We have everything we need here.”

“But…”

“Enough! No more wasting time talking. You can ride now.” Surag moved closer, “Don’t try anything. I don’t want to hurt you but if I have to…” he threatened. 

He grabbed hold of Daniel’s bicep, pulling him forward and the ropes bit into Daniel’s wrists. “How can I ride tied up like this?” Daniel queried, hoping the warrior might untie him thus giving him a chance to try and escape.

“All you have to do is keep your seat, I will guide the horse.” Surag smiled grimly, “You don’t think I’m stupid enough to untie you, do you?” He continued to pull Daniel along to where he had two horses waiting. “Climb up,” Surag ordered.

“How the hell am I supposed to do that without the use of my hands!” Daniel declared angrily.

Cursing, the big warrior suddenly grabbed Daniel by the waist and hoisted him bodily so the archaeologist fell across the horse, his legs dangling on one side of the animal, head on the other. Daniel felt very vulnerable and hoped Surag didn’t expect him to travel like this. He was relieved when Surag twisted his upper body towards the horse’s head and then swung one leg over the saddle, straightening him up to sit properly on the animal. 

“Don’t do this, take me back,” Daniel pleaded.

Surag glanced at him but didn’t deign to answer. He mounted his own horse, took up Daniel’s rein and they began to move.

~~

“He must have taken Daniel to the Agrarian settlement,” Stail declared.

“Must?” demanded Jack abrasively. “Isn’t that a little too obvious.”

Teal’c entered the hut then, returning from scouting out the area where Timol had been found, looking for the direction Surag had taken. “O’Neill,” he said immediately, “They are heading northwest. Two horses being led by one man on foot, one horse carrying weight.”

“Carrying Daniel?” Jack questioned and Teal’c didn’t need to answer that it was likely the animal was carrying their unconscious team-mate.

“The settlement is northwest from here,” Stail confirmed. “Surag is seeking safety among his own kind.”

“Maybe,” Jack conceded, “Or perhaps he knows of somewhere in that direction where he could safely hide Daniel.”

“For how long?” Carter wondered. “He can’t keep Daniel hidden forever.”

Jack didn’t really want to know the answer, but he had to ask the question. “Would Surag kill Daniel?”

The warrior hesitated a moment too long before saying, “No, he’s not a murderer.”

“He might come to realise he has no option,” Teal’c said.

“Don’t know why he didn’t take me,” Jack said pensively. “I’m the one with the gene.”

“You are a trained warrior, Daniel is not.” Stail replied starkly.

“Which doesn’t make me feel any better about his safety!” Jack growled.

“I don’t believe Surag would harm him,” Stail insisted.

“Nor did you believe he was the enemy!” Jack retorted.

~~

They had been travelling for a while now and Daniel was stiff and uncomfortable. It was exceedingly difficult to keep his balance without the use of his hands and he had to resort to using his thighs and knees to avoid falling off. Surag insisted on keeping a steady pace much to the archaeologist’s chagrin.

Daniel had been trying to think of a way to escape but while Surag held the reins so tightly it proved impossible. His hands being tied was a distinct disadvantage too. He sighed, more loudly than he realised because the warrior turned back to look at him.

Thinking quickly, Daniel said, “My legs are numb, if you don’t let me rest for a while I’m just gonna fall off.”

Surag grimaced but nodded, “Just for a few minutes to stretch your legs.” He stopped his horse, relaxing his hold on his prisoner’s reins as he did so and Daniel took the opportunity he had prayed for. 

Using his knees to make the horse turn and at the same time kicking the animal’s flanks so it jerked forward, Daniel caused the reins to be pulled from the hands of the unsuspecting Surag. Yelling as he urged the animal into a run Daniel hoped he could stay mounted as he tried to guide the fleeing horse through the trees.

He heard Surag shouting behind him and he also heard the man’s progress as he gave chase. Unfortunately he seemed to be gaining. Daniel risked a glance over his shoulder and saw the angry warrior far too close for comfort. As he turned back he realised he had made a stupid error in taking his eyes from his course. The animal suddenly banked to avoid a large tree in their path and Daniel wasn’t prepared for the movement. Losing his balance, the archaeologist tumbled from the horse to land heavily as he couldn’t protect himself as he fell. With a sharp cry of pain he landed on his right shoulder, rolling to end up on his front among the twisted roots of the tree.

As he was lying there feeling his aches and pain, a hand grabbed his shoulder roughly yanking him onto his back and Daniel looked up into the angry face of his captor. Suddenly, Surag gave a twisted smile, “Did that help? Do you feel better now that you made the attempt?”

Daniel refused to answer, just letting the warrior drag him to his feet and lead him back to the horse, which was standing nearby, nibbling at the rough grass. Surag hoisted him back into the saddle again, ignoring Daniel’s grunts of pain as his hurt shoulder made itself known. The warrior then mounted his own horse, this time he pointedly tied Daniel’s rein to the pommel of his mount so that his prisoner couldn’t try that move again.

Annoyed at his futile attempt, Daniel tried to keep his spirits up knowing that Jack and the others would be doing everything they could to find him. If only he could think of ways to slow Surag down, and give them as much time as he could. He tried everything he could think of. He asked for water, telling Surag he felt dizzy after his fall. Surag grumbled that it was his own fault but he did pause and passed over his water for Daniel to take a drink. 

After a short period he then said he needed to take a leak. At first, Surag refused telling him he would have to wait and Daniel did what frustrated the hell out of Jack, he talked non-stop about needing to go and by the time he reached what Jack called his whiny stage, Surag capitulated and stopped. He pulled Daniel from his mount, keeping a tight grip on his arm he half dragged him to the nearest tree and then turned his back.

“You have to help me,” Daniel whined. “Unless you want to untie me?”

Surag growled his frustration but moved to unfasten his pants and reach inside. The last thing Daniel really wanted was for the bastard to touch his privates but he squashed down his distaste. Anything to delay their travel. 

“Come on! What are you waiting for?” Surag demanded when nothing happened.

“It’s not easy to go when some stranger is holding you!” Daniel declared.

“Well it’s go with me holding it or get back on the damn horse!”

“I’m trying, I’m trying,” Daniel sounded desperate, which he was but not for the reason Surag believed. Then Surag squeezed his penis and yelping, Daniel accepted defeat, relaxed and watered the tree. As Surag rearranged his clothing, Daniel was frantically trying to think of another way to delay them.

Surag pulled him away from the tree then and suddenly Daniel literally dug his heels in.

“Move!” Surag demanded.

“I can’t keep this up. I’m not used to riding in the first place and with my hands tied it’s exhausting. You must let me rest.”

“No, damnit, we don’t have time.”

“Time for what? What do you expect to happen?”

“Stop wasting time. Damn, do you never shut up?”

Daniel laughed, “You should ask Jack that.”

Suddenly Surag snarled with frustration and gave Daniel a mighty shove towards the horses and unable to keep his balance, the archaeologist sprawled on the ground. Angry now, Daniel rolled over and struggled up onto his knees. “That’s it, I’m not moving another inch!”

“Oh yes, you are,” Surag declared in a menacing tone though he moved no nearer.

Daniel regarded the warrior, sensing fear as much as anger in the man. Deciding to try a different tack, he asked quietly, “What do you really expect, Surag?”

“I already told you, to stop you!”

“And how are you going to do that, unless you’re prepared to kill me? You can’t just keep me forever, you know,” Daniel remarked almost conversationally.

Surag’s eyes widened in shock and suddenly Daniel realised the man had acted precipitately, presumably caused by the sudden arrival of SG1 less than twenty hours ago. Surag hadn’t had the opportunity to plan properly; he’d admitted he’d had no chance to speak to anyone. He never really had a plan.

~~

They had been trailing Surag and Daniel for some time now and Jack was getting more and more anxious though he did his best to hide the fact; he expected he wasn’t fooling anyone. Just then Teal’c stopped, dismounted and knelt down to investigate a particular patch of earth before turning to stalk off through the trees. Watching, Jack wondered what he had discovered and had to stop himself from getting down and following the Jaffa. However, it was only a minute or so before he returned. 

“One of the horses took off in that direction, the other followed and then both horses came back together,” Teal’c explained. He glanced down at the ground again and added, “And then they both continued in the original direction.”

Jack smiled, guessing Daniel had tried to escape, he might have failed but at least he was fit enough to try. 

As if reading his mind, Teal’c informed him, “I believe DanielJackson fell from the horse which enabled Surag to re-capture him.”

Determined not to read too much into that, Jack kept his thoughts to himself. 

Stail advised that they keep as quiet as possible as they were getting closer to the Agrarian settlement and it wouldn’t do to spook Surag now. “If we don’t get Daniel back soon, Surag might get him to the settlement and that would make things very difficult,” the warrior explained.

Jack couldn’t allow that, no way was he losing Daniel now. And if the expression on the faces of the rest of SG1 was any indication they were of the same opinion.

It was only about five minutes later that Teal’c stopped again, holding up his hand and signalling to Jack that their quarry was just ahead – and seemed to be stationary. Jack smiled; a particularly feral smile.

They quickly dismounted and spread out, encircling the location Teal’c indicated.

The first thing they heard was Daniel’s voice, terse and clipped. At first Jack was afraid that he might be hurt, he remembered only too clearly Teal’c’s comment about the fall from the horse, but then they heard what the archaeologist was saying.

“Your people should have taken the time to think this through instead of just panicking,” Daniel said disparagingly. “If you had bothered to learn, to understand your history instead of denigrating and ignoring it you might have come to understand that both realities exist concurrently.”

Pride warring with utter relief, Jack grinned to himself, that’s my Daniel!

“I don’t understand,” Surag said wearily, and it seemed pretty clear by his tone of voice that the discussion had been going on for some time. 

“Don’t worry, Daniel, it doesn’t really matter if he understands or not,” Jack declared walking forward, his weapon aimed directly between Surag’s eyes, disguising the fact that his attention was entirely on the errant archaeologist who was staring awe-struck at his very welcome rescuer. However, the colonel cocked his head on one side to ask Surag, “Has it never occurred to you why our weapons work on your world while none of your technology worked all those centuries ago?” he asked as he took out his knife and cut Daniel’s bonds.

Surag stared, mouth opening and closing as he seemed unable to utter a word, but his eyes were full of confusion and defeat.

“Hi, Jack,” Daniel said, sounding perfectly relaxed, but Jack recognised the tension around his eyes.

“Hey,” Jack nodded, his eyes saying what his lips could not.

“You alright, Daniel?” Carter asked crisply and Daniel nodded absently still looking at Jack.

Daniel was distracted then by a muttered curse from Stail and he watched as the Elder tied Surag’s hands behind his back, clearly angry and upset with his supposed friend.

“The explanation is simple, really, Surag,” Daniel said, seemingly unable to leave his explanation incomplete. “Though I have no idea how they did it, your ancestors somehow merged two realities on this world which is apparently why we can interact. Once the realities are separated your world will be back in your reality and ours will still be here.” Surag was staring at Daniel, his expression denoting that he was still confused. “Don’t you see? As far as your lifestyle is concerned nothing will have changed. Nothing needs to unless you wish it. It just means you will be back in your own reality; that you will be free to travel from the planet if you wish, the gate will work for you again.”

“Yeah, providing we can reverse the procedure, Daniel,” Jack added. “Come on, let’s get back. The sooner we can sort this out, the sooner we can go back through the gate. I’m suddenly sick to death of this place and want to get home.”

~~

Aruon and Brunol were suitably chastened for not considering that the Agrarians could pose a threat to their desire to – in Aruon’s words – complete the circle. They acquiesced immediately to Jack’s demand to get on with it and swiftly took SG1 back to the underground chamber, Teal’c carrying the backpack containing the discs that Daniel had brought.

On entering the area Daniel went directly to the device which projected the holo-image. The rest of his team followed closely, watching as he studied the indentation in which the crystal had been inserted to call up the hologram. 

Daniel was running over in his mind what he’d learned as he’d followed the clues leading him to this very room. Knowing he needed to key the system with the coin-sized disc first, Daniel studied the base of the notch just below where the crystal was seated. A small circular impression was just visible and Daniel took his pack from Teal’c and removed the two discs he had found on this world months before. He stared at the impression and carefully compared the markings on each disc, before selecting one of them.

He glanced up at Jack who had been waiting patiently for his partner to make the choice. “You ready?” Daniel asked.

“As ever,” Jack smiled. “I just place it inside?” Daniel nodded and Jack stepped forward and very carefully slipped the small disc into the prepared setting.

For a moment nothing happened and slowly at first, then faster as it began to move freely, the top of the surface slid back to reveal another device hidden in a well within the podium.

Daniel moved forward again, this time a very curious Carter leaned in as closely as she could, she was fascinated by this technology. This device seemed much simpler than the other ones, little more than a rectangle in a dull metallic colour. Slightly off centre there was yet another indentation and Carter watched as Daniel dove into his bag again, this time removing the medium disc. “Jack?” 

As the colonel took the second disc, the central gem glowed gently but as soon as he placed it in the slot provided the glow increased and then the disc seemed to meld with its surroundings until the whole device glowed and withdrew back inside the podium. A hum began softly, building until the whole chamber seemed filled with the reverberating sound, only fading as a column rose from the floor across the chamber halting when it was about a metre high.

Daniel moved to investigate, Jack and others close on his heels. However, when they were only half way across the chamber it was discovered that the Elders could not continue any further. There was some kind of invisible shield through which only SG1 could pass.

Jack glanced back at them but Aruon just nodded at him, indicating that they just wanted him to carry on. The colonel turned back and quickly saw as the others already had that it was obvious where the Phaistos disc should be placed; there was a hollow section about two thirds of the way up the column’s height. Daniel carefully passed the largest disc to him and as before it glowed when Jack took it, but the closer he got to the column the brighter the radiance.

Daniel suddenly turned to the Elders trapped behind the invisible barrier and called out to them, “If this works, we’ll never see you again.”

“We know,” Aruon answered. “Thank you for caring enough to help us. What we will find when we return home…” he stopped, glancing at his friends.

“It matters not,” Brunol commented. “If there is one thing I have learned from what happened to my people it’s that each individual must chose his own path.” He paused introspectively before adding, “I have even heard some wonder what ascension really means, what is would be like,” he shrugged. “There is no way for us to know what has happened in our reality during all this time, we can only be true to ourselves and see where that takes us as a people, as individuals.”

“You are right as ever, my friend,” Aruon commented.

Jack locked the Phaistos disc into position in the column where it began to turn on its axis. 

Stail suddenly called out, “Freudl was sure you were the key to our future, now we must prove him right.”

Not knowing what to expect next, Jack turned intending to move quickly to stand with his team, to be with Daniel but as the hum in the room increased again, Jack heard Daniel’s voice, but as if from a long way away, calling “Good luck!” 

For a split second he thought Daniel was speaking to him but then he saw a faint shimmer spread outwards like a wave from the now brightly glowing Phaistos disc. It seemed to move through him and over him and Jack turned needing to ensure Daniel was safe. Or rather, he tried to turn but it was like moving through thick molasses and he managed only a quarter turn, just having Daniel and the rest of his team in view out of the corner of his eye and a little way beyond them he could see the Elders. Even as he watched the steadily moving shimmer hit the invisible barrier and exploded out in a myriad of tiny sparkles. When his eyes readjusted there was no-one in the chamber except for SG1.

~~

Hammond was pleased to see SG1 come back through the gate walking under their own steam and with no apparent injuries. However, the colonel was quick to dispel that idea with the comment that Fraiser needed to take a look at Daniel’s shoulder.

“Jaaack,” Daniel whined and Hammond was relieved to note the distinct gleam in the colonel’s eye. Whatever had happened, it wasn’t serious.

“He fell off a horse, sir,” Jack commented.

“Well, you to try to keep your balance with your hands tied!” Daniel retorted. 

Jack’s imagination went into overdrive at the thought of Daniel tied to his bed. He then made the mistake of glancing at his lover, seeing immediately that Danny knew exactly what was going through his mind. A lump lodged in his throat at the idea that Daniel might like that idea and Jack quickly had to cough to clear his throat; damn but he couldn’t wait to get home. 

Thinking this promised to be an interesting briefing, the general kept his smile under wraps, as he instructed, “Report to the infirmary immediately and you can tell me all about it at the briefing in an hour.” He could still hear Daniel grousing at Jack as they walked along the corridor. It was good to have them home.

Janet took Daniel to one side while the rest of the team was speedily seen to by other members of her staff. When she had finished her examination and run all the usual tests, the doctor was happy to tell Doctor Jackson that while his shoulder would be sore for a day or two, it was little more than badly bruised with just a few scratches to his upper arm. She did however note that Daniel was quiet.

“Anything else, Daniel?” she asked, keeping a close eye on his reaction.

“No, just tired and I would really like to go home,” he sighed meeting her gaze directly.

She readily accepted that he spoke the truth; Daniel couldn’t lie to save his life and the first sign was his need to look anywhere but at who he was talking to.

“Very well, I’m sure the general will give you all some downtime, you’ve been on the go for some time now.” She smiled, seeing the rest of his team approaching. In a slightly louder voice, she added, “Off with you and let me treat some really sick people.”

Thankfully the briefing didn’t drag on too long. Hammond heard both Jack and Daniel’s version of how the archaeologist had come to be injured in his abortive escape attempt, recognising that both men were harbouring a modicum of guilt for what they saw as a failure to consider there was a serpent in this seeming Eden. He would need to have a little talk with both of them but that could wait.

As no one understood the technology involved in sending the inhabitants back home to their reality, Hammond was happy to accept Daniel’s less than technical explanation of the procedure. Jack took over then to describe how desolate everything seemed when they left the underground chamber. 

“There was no sign that a village had ever existed, yet it had been there for thousands of years,” Daniel commented.

“Where it still is in the other reality,” Carter interjected. 

“We know, major,” Jack conceded. “Daniel was just waxing poetic,” he added with a sly grin.

“I was?”

“Can we get back on topic, gentlemen?” Hammond asked.

“Yes, sir. Daniel wanted to check out one more thing before we came back home, he insisted on seeing if the second gate still existed and as we expected it too had vanished.” Jack didn’t elaborate on Daniel’s need to know that the Northern Standing Ring had gone, it wasn’t necessary for anyone else to learn how concerned Daniel had been that he may have abandoned a child he had fathered. Seeing the ring had returned to its own reality had been a relief. Still, Jack suspected that even though Stail had assured Danny that such a possibility didn’t exist, the archaeologist would’ve tormented himself over it for the rest of his life. He knew they would still have to discuss it but he felt more certain of the ground under his feet now that the second gate had been returned to its own reality.

General Hammond was pleased that they had managed to solve the mystery, but disappointed to have gained nothing from the experience. Daniel stared at him for a long moment before dropping his eyes, recognising of course that his priorities weren’t those of a military man. He couldn’t fail to understand that from the general’s point of view they had acquired neither weapons nor advanced technology and so as far as the powers that be were concerned the mission had been a failure. The fact that they may have helped the only remaining corporeal Alterans in the universe wouldn’t hold any weight with the Pentagon.

Daniel felt a tap on his ankle and knowing very well where it came from he glanced at Jack sitting next to him and gave his lover a small smile. It didn’t fool Jack of course, the man knew him too well.

Hammond finally drew the meeting to a close by giving the team four days leave, and suggesting that they did actually leave.

~~

The drive home had been particularly quiet, which either meant Daniel was simply too tired or more likely he didn’t want to talk until they got inside. Jack wasn’t really in the mood to talk but appreciated that for Daniel it was a release valve. As he pulled into his driveway, he expected the Daniel would first head for the kitchen to make coffee as a prelude to conversation.

Surprisingly, Daniel was out of the car and striding towards the front door before Jack even got his seat belt off. With an internal sigh, he locked his car and followed his lover inside.

Walking through the door, Jack was surprised when it was suddenly closed behind him and he was grabbed, spun around and slammed back against it.

“Danny?”

Instead of answering, Daniel proceeded very enthusiastically to find his tonsils. Jack might have been surprised but he sure wasn’t complaining! If Daniel preferred this to talking…

Breaking for air, Jack gasped, “Slow down, Danny, we have all…”

“No, want you, need you, now!” Daniel demanded, fumbling at Jack’s belt buckle and trying to shove his pants down at the same time. With alacrity Jack decided to help and in no time both men’s pants were down around their ankles, their shirts opened and pushed aside. Daniel pressed his full body against Jack, holding his lover’s arms wide at shoulder height, grinding and rotating his hips against his lover. Their lips were open and tongues wrapped around each other as they explored and tasted every surface inside each other’s mouths.

The movements became more erratic as they humped each other against the door, rough, totally without finesse and wonderfully erotic. Gasps interlaced with moaning and incoherent muttering was all that could be heard until a harsh cry followed almost immediately by a grunt proclaimed that both men had climaxed.

Panting harshly as they recovered, they were still leaning against each other. Slowly raising his head from Daniel’s shoulder, Jack kissed his partner’s slightly swollen lips, but this time without the urgency. His kisses now were slow, delving deeply into Daniel’s mouth, then sliding out again to nip gently at his lower lip, drawing it gently inside his own. Daniel sighed and Jack softly asked, “Can we go to bed now?”

Staring into those languid brown eyes, Daniel grinned and said, “Thought you might want to shower first. Kinda messy here.” 

Eyes sparkling as a slow smile broke over his face, Jack mused, “Shower, huh?”

~~

Lying in bed later, wrapped in his sleeping lover’s arms, Jack was as contented as he had ever been. He had been wonderfully surprised by Daniel’s sexual demands both by the front door and then in the shower. Daniel had been determined to take Jack under the pounding water and being thoroughly possessed, he’d loved it. Their relationship was very much give and take with each man happy to go along with the other’s desire. Daniel’s alpha behaviour today was unusual but not at all unwelcome. 

Jack could still feel the burn as Daniel had opened him wide and slid inside after getting him ready quickly yet carefully. The archaeologist would never penetrate him without thorough preparation, he’d sworn he would never hurt his partner, never rush making such intimate love to the man he considered the other half of his soul. Jack’s heart was warmed that Daniel felt that way about him.

Comfortably relaxed, Jack relived the sensations he’d experienced under the cascading water as Daniel had pushed deeply inside him, holding him firmly, one arm wrapped around his waist and up towards his shoulder, the other one gripping his hip. Legs braced firmly, Jack was holding tight onto the shower fitting as his lover thrust into him again and again, hitting Jack’s prostate repeatedly causing sensations akin to fire thrumming through his body in wave after wave. 

“Jack, oh god, Jack, love you, love you so much,” Daniel had muttered, never losing his rhythm. Dropping his head onto Jack’s shoulder, he’d licked and kissed the tender skin there, nibbling gently where it joined his neck.

“Danny, Danny, again, harder, I wanna feel everything, wanna feel you everywhere. Ah, god! Danny!” Without his cock being touched Jack had felt his climax gathering deep inside his body to explode through his penis, pulse after pulse coating the tiles and being washed away in the torrents of water.

Seemingly in response to Jack’s climax, Daniel’s cock throbbed within Jack, moaning in ecstasy as he tightened his grip on his lover until with a growl Daniel bit into Jack’s shoulder. Jack gasped at the sudden pain and then groaned as Danny abruptly emptied himself deep inside Jack, who struggled to lock his elbows to keep from sliding down the wall, taking the boneless Daniel with him.

After a couple of minutes, Jack had managed to turn within his lover’s grasp and holding Daniel in his firm embrace, kissed him and helped him out from under the now cooling water. It was one of the most erotic showers Jack had ever experienced and it was no wonder he was enjoying the memory. 

“Can hear the wheels turning, Jack,” Daniel murmured, his lips brushing against Jack’s chest. “What’cha thinking about?”

Jack kissed Daniel’s hair, tightening his grip around the younger man. With a contented sigh, he replied, “How lucky I am…how happy I am.” Jack sounded surprised at his own realisation. 

Daniel raised his head and looked at Jack, a faint smile gracing his lips. 

“How real all this is,” Jack added. “Those people struggled for centuries to gain their true reality, yet isn’t reality only what you perceive?” Jack frowned for a moment considering his own words and then his face gradually cleared and his smile grew as his eyes sparkled. “There’s nothing more real than this feeling you give me,” he added softly.

“And you claim not to be smart.” Daniel simply stared at him for a long moment, before reaching up to kiss him swiftly. “No,” Daniel conceded, “this is so real, it has to be happening to us wherever we are.”

Jack looked deep into his eyes, “God, I hope so. I still get nightmares over what my life would’ve been like if I hadn’t gotten my head out of my ass and given in to my feelings.”

“As lonely as mine would’ve been,” Daniel admitted softly.

“I hope you’re right and I’m not living that life in some other reality.” Jack flopped back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. “Carter talks about all the different lives we could be living caused by the choices we’ve made. I’m not proud of some of things I’ve done in my life and I hate to think that somewhere out there’s a version of me who hasn’t learned, who never had you to make me see.” Sighing, he turned to Daniel, “There’s probably a very bitter, lonely version of me…or god forbid a me engaged to Carter like that one you met years back. No wonder he went to his death so easily,” he shuddered. “If he’d survived you suppose he’d still have married her, after having met you?”

Daniel laughed. “No way, I’d have gotten round you eventually, one way or the other.”

Jack grinned, “Yes, thank god, you would have!”

“Want me to get around you again?” Daniel asked huskily.

“Uh-huh,” Jack murmured reaching for him, but his hand hovered for a second before he rolled Daniel on top of him. “Unless…Danny? You know when you were tied up….”

 

Fin!


End file.
